Introducing the Alexa Connect Kit SDK for Matter

Building smart home devices with a great customer experience can be challenging. It requires device makers to have deep expertise in multiple wireless protocols, complex cloud connectivity, and the necessary maintenance of cloud infrastructure. We created Alexa Connect Kit (ACK) to make it simpler for device makers to address these challenges with a fully-managed service.

Brands like Panasonic, Toshiba, Hamilton Beach, and Eaton have leveraged ACK to build quality smart home devices and experiences. With ACK, these brands and others like them can focus more on what they do best, creating great products — offloading the complex cloud, networking, and security firmware requirements to Amazon.

During Alexa Live 2022, we announced the Alexa Connect Kit SDK for Matter. Device makers connecting products to Alexa or any Matter compatible smart home assistant using ACK SDK for Matter can deliver the increased interoperability of Matter for their customers, and receive the added benefits of cloud connectivity features to build differentiated products, without managing cloud services or even creating a skill. These features include over-the-air (OTA) updates for device lifecycle management, logs and metrics. And, with a low one-time upfront fee to cover cloud services for the device’s lifetime, device makers will have more cost certainty with less complexity — empowering device makers with the advantages outlined below. 

Deliver new features and mission-critical software updates

The Matter specification requires devices to support a software update mechanism. However, a Matter-based end device is dependent upon a Matter Admin - a Hub, voice assistant or an app - to approve and complete the OTA process and deliver firmware updates through its dedicated cloud connection. Consequently, device makers without a cloud connection may find it challenging to issue critical software or firmware updates to their customers’ devices.

The cloud connection that will come with ACK SDK for Matter provides device makers with the added flexibility to issue OTA updates, and manage the software update process themselves without being reliant on any Matter Admins, allowing them to maintain control over their brand and customer experience.

Enable a simpler device setup experience with Frustration-Free Setup for Matter

Device makers using ACK SDK for Matter will also be able to leverage Frustration-Free Setup (FFS) for Matter. FFS for Matter will allow customers to benefit from reduced setup frustration and add Matter compliant smart home devices to Alexa with a zero-touch experience, where devices are automatically connected to the network and setup can begin as soon as the device is powered on.

Actionable product insights for a better customer experience

The device level business analytics enabled by the ACK SDK for Matter will provide device makers with insights to help them identify opportunities for new features, and enhance existing features to improve the customer experience. Device makers will also be able to troubleshoot customer issues by leveraging log files they own and manage. Leveraging these insights, device makers can build more value through their devices and services over the entire customer journey.

Get the most out of Matter

ACK SDK for Matter gives device makers the tools they need to deliver experiences with Matter that customers will love. Device makers can take advantage of ACK’s managed services that provide the flexibility and control needed to build differentiated products, and provides the insights and capabilities to increase customer engagement and grow their business.

We’ve also been working closely with a number of System Integrators like Leedarson, Innotech, and Espressif that have committed to build ACK SDK solutions for Matter devices to simplify the integration and certification process for device makers. Amey Inamdar, Director of Technical Marketing, at Espressif had this to say about ACK SDK for Matter: 

“We’re excited to continue our partnership with Amazon to develop with the ACK SDK for Matter which will help us build turnkey solutions more efficiently and scale across more products and customers. This takes us one step closer to our vision of making technology more accessible!”

We'll have more information to share about the ACK SDK for Matter later this year. For more information on Matter or to receive updates on the latest news and announcements for ACK SDK for Matter, you can visit our developer portal.