Matter 1.6 introduces Joint Fabric to unify smart home control
The Connectivity Standards Alliance has unveiled Joint Fabric, a feature within the Matter 1.6 specification designed to bridge the gap between competing smart home ecosystems. By allowing a single shared network, the update enables users to manage devices across platforms like Apple Home and Google Home without individual app-based sharing.
This shift addresses the long-standing friction of the multi-admin model, which previously forced users to navigate cumbersome device-sharing processes between fragmented networks. Joint Fabric treats the smart home like a joint bank account, granting platforms co-signing authority over a single Matter network. Users can add a device once and maintain control across any authorized service, with the ability to revoke access at any time. The update arrived at the inaugural Unify conference in Austin, Texas, marking a significant evolution from the limited Fabric Sync attempts seen in previous iterations.
The 1.6 specification also introduces quality-of-life improvements, including full NFC pairing support. This allows devices to be paired before they are even powered on, streamlining the installation of smart bulbs and switches. Additionally, the new Thermostat Suggestions feature creates a standardized communication protocol for climate control. This ensures that manual temperature adjustments or utility-based energy savings programs are respected across platforms, preventing automated requests from conflicting with user preferences. Despite these technical gains, the success of Joint Fabric hinges on the willingness of major ecosystem players to cede some control, a hurdle that has historically slowed the adoption of previous interoperability standards.
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