Belkin’s smart home brand Wemo is pausing the development of Matter-compatible gadgets, writes Belkin CEO Jen Wei in an email. However, the company still believes in Matter and that the technology will have a “significantly positive impact on the smart home industry.” Despite this, they have decided to “take a big step back, regroup and rethink” their smart home strategy.
At CES 2022, Wemo said it would release Matter products with Thread when the standard was released, but that has not happened. The gadgets that Wemo already sells with Thread (which is the wireless protocol that Matter uses) also don’t seem to be getting any support for Matter. These include a light switch, dimmer, outlet, and a three-button wall-mounted controller.
One reason why Belkin and Wemo are choosing to step back from Matter may be that it becomes harder for them to stand out from competitors who can sell similar gadgets for a considerably lower price. Despite the fact that these solutions may not work quite as seamlessly or be as secure, it certainly doesn’t seem like consumers care all that much.
