Alexa adds iOS Setup, Thread support, and surpasses 100 million Matter-enabled Echos

Today, we’re excited to announce our latest Matter update for Alexa, the updated Works with Alexa (WWA) certification requirements for Matter devices, and share details about how Eve Systems uses Alexa to reach more customers and accelerate the growth of their business. Our vision for the ambient home is one that just works with multiple devices across different technologies and brands, all working together on behalf of the customer. Interoperability is and always has been at that heart of Alexa. That’s why our customers have already connected over 300 million smart home devices to Alexa, making their lives more convenient, secure, and fun. 

With our update today, customers can set up their Matter devices with iOS, including their Matter-enabled Thread devices. We enabled second generation Echo, Echo Plus, and Echo Dot devices to be updated as Matter controllers, plus Echo (4th Gen) as a Thread border router. That means, Echo (4th Gen) customers can now expand their smart homes with Matter-enabled Thread devices in addition to WiFi, Zigbee, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Mesh, and Matter-enabled WiFi devices. Regardless of the smart home protocol developers choose to build with, these customers are ready to connect and engage their smart home devices, without thinking about interoperability. That’s over 100 million Echo devices across 20 models already found in customer homes that can be updated to support Matter today! 

Eve teams up with Amazon to reach new customers and grow

Today’s update provides developers with another technology option to select from when building products and growing their businesses with Alexa. Last year, we published a story about Eve and our shared customer obsession, focus on innovation, and Eve’s excitement to work with Amazon to accelerate their business. Prior to Matter, Eve devices were limited to operating only within certain smart home systems. Starting today, with Alexa supporting Matter over Thread devices, Eve has the opportunity to rapidly expand as they tap into the tens of millions of Alexa customers with over 100 million Matter-enabled Echo devices already in their homes. Eve can now take advantage of best-in-class programs like Works with Alexa (WWA) and Frustration-Free Setup (FFS) to create highly differentiated and valuable customer experiences.

To help developers deliver quality experiences through their Matter devices, last fall we extended our WWA program, and recently updated requirements to reflect our latest support of Matter. The WWA badge, sought out and trusted by customers, makes Eve’s products more discoverable on Amazon.com, and lets customers quickly identify that Eve devices are tested to deliver a great experience with Alexa. Product detail pages on Amazon.com for WWA certified devices help customers understand which Echo device is best for them. By partnering with Alexa, Eve customers have a better experience from purchasing to setup and everyday use.

“I’m extremely excited about bringing our devices to Alexa customers.” says Jerome Gackel, CEO of Eve Systems. ”One of our biggest challenges being at the forefront of bringing the first Matter over Thread devices to customers’ homes is to ensure they have the right infrastructure at home to connect to our devices. With Alexa’s WWA badge and Thread support on millions of Echos already in customers’ homes, creating this seamless customer journey will be vastly accelerated.” 

Frustration-Free Setup (FFS) simplifies the device setup experience for Alexa customers, allowing them to experience their devices in as quickly as a few seconds after powering them on. For developers, this improved setup experience translates to increased customer engagement and lifetime value, driving top and bottom-line growth. Developers can implement FFS within their products in multiple ways. They can integrate on their own through the Matter SDK, leverage the Alexa Connect Kit, work with an IoT solution provider, or use pre-certified solution from silicon providers such as Espressif or Silicon Labs. 

“Easy setup is a key feature of any Eve product and a core value for our brand. By making the setup process even easier, we can take the Eve experience to the next level, providing our customers with a true plug and play experience.” says J. Gackel. “And for those reasons, it was an easy decision to partner with Amazon on FFS, making it easier for our team to make this a reality for our customers.” 

With a shared philosophy of simplifying the customer experience, Eve will bring FFS to all its Matter-enabled devices, beginning with Eve Energy, Eve Motion and Eve Door & Window starting later this month. Customers who opt-in for the FFS feature at check out on Amazon.com can easily add Eve devices to Alexa. Out of the box, the device will connect to the network and be ready to use right after it's powered on. With Alexa, Eve customers can enjoy the convenience of voice control or use their devices to create Alexa Routines, making their homes more ambient and helpful. 

Build with Alexa today

Our work with Eve is a great example how we are continuing to raise the bar on smart home simplicity, making the customer journey from discovery to every day use, easy and delightful, and helping our partners grow their businesses. 

By achieving WWA certification for Matter devices, developers can join Eve and others such as Aqara, Cync, Leedarson, Nanoleaf, TP-Link, Sengled, and Yeelight to reach more customers at scale and raise the bar on the customer experience. Review the latest WWA certification requirements for Matter devices and get started with the certification in the in the WWA console. To simplify Matter setup, in addition to Frustration-Free Setup, developers can leverage features such as Commissionable Endpoint API. For developers looking for an accelerated and simplified development path to build Matter products with predictable cost, we offer a managed service, the Alexa Connect Kit SDK for Matter. 

To learn more about these features and services, visit our new Smart Home Insider portal, or reach out to your Business Development contact.