Somfy's Strategic Journey with Matter: Bridging the Gap between IoT Standards

Matter is a newly developed, open-source connectivity standard for smart home and Internet of Things (IOT) devices. It promises full interoperability for smart home products and ecosystems and best-in-class reliability and security. Of particular interest to the industry is its consumer-friendly design, which positions it well as a tool for install-it-yourself devices.  

As a member of the Board of Directors for both the Thread Group and the Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly Zigbee Alliance), Somfy's corporate strategy fully aligns with Matter, demonstrating a long-term commitment to open standards for IoT as a way to offer best-in-class technology to end-users and customers. 

In order to ensure that the specifics of our industry are fully considered in the standard’s development, Somfy’s Director of the Systems & Solutions of Connectivity Department, Jean-Michel Orsat, has retained a role as one of the members of the 2023 Global Matter Steering Committee within the Connectivity Standards Alliance. This position is the best way to ensure that Somfy products integrate with cutting-edge technology, for the benefit of both customers and end-users. 

Somfy IoT-ready radio solutions for pros and end-users 

Somfy’s newest ecosystem of products featuring Zigbee 3.0 is the most prominent open standard installed on the market. In addition, Somfy now offers a Standalone Solution, which enables users to control motors directly with a remote control, without the need for an additional gateway. This noteworthy feature in addition to its bidirectional function, and level of security, continues to make Somfy a leader in the smart home shading industry.  

A gradual introduction 

Given the strategic fit of Matter but also the strength of Zigbee 3.0 technologies, it appears clear that Matter is in the foreseeable future for Somfy, but is not yet ready to be brought to consumers.  

Matter’s initial releases (v1.0 and v1.1) have delivered the fundamentals of the technology to the end-user. Future versions promise, amongst other things, to overcome the issue of several potentially conflicting ecosystems controlling the same device. Before introducing Matter into its core lines of business, Somfy will make sure that the technology can accommodate the same level of professional convenience and security that it currently offers with Zigbee 3.0. 

Somfy will actively contribute to the underlying technical developments that are needed as part of the standardization body, with the following two goals: 

• Enable enthusiastic end-users to use Somfy products in their Matter ecosystem 
• Prepare a gradual introduction of the standard into its motors with the right pro services 

For end-users, Somfy will utilize the TaHoma platform as a Matter bridge. This means that early adopters of the new standard, keen on using a unique, Matter-based controller (such as a voice assistant or a smartphone app) will be able to integrate their current Somfy Zigbee 3.0 motors into their Matter ecosystem and have them proxied into “virtual Matter motors.”  

For professional customers, Somfy will release the first Matter motor and control as early as 2024, for interior applications. Somfy will make it available (with small quantities at first) to forward-looking assemblers or installers willing to test and learn with this new technology. 

It is Somfy’s position that it is far too soon to transition interior applications motors on a wider scale, as it will depend on both the market acceptance and appetite for Matter.  

Somfy believes that this strategy will provide customers with the best value and allow them to benefit from Matter's potentially high market traction, all while upholding Somfy's well-known reliability and quality standards.