Project CHIP Will Revolutionize Smart Homes (6 Things to Watch for in 2021)

The smart home world is about to get a major upgrade, all thanks to Project CHIP, or Connected Home Over IP (recently rebranded as Matter).

If you’ve set up any smart devices in the last decade or so, you’ve probably noticed that compatibility is kind of a problem. Devices with older standards like Zigbee aren’t supported by newer hubs, so you always have to be aware of which voice assistants work with which devices – and brands don’t always build their smart devices to "talk" to other platforms, which means you often end up juggling several different apps to get home automation where you need it.

That’s changing, and it’s about to start changing much faster with Project CHIP (Matter), a joint effort from Apple, Amazon, Samsung, Google, and many more to get this smart home mess cleared up once and for all.

CHIP is designed to be a standard for smart home devices to communicate with each other, no matter who makes them (yes, even older standards like Zigbee are supported), thanks to clear protocols for Bluetooth LE, Wi-Fi, and the Thread communication standard for low-bandwidth devices.

We could start seeing the first CHIP devices as early as this year! While CHIP partners are keeping quiet about what specific manufacturers are taking part, reports are surfacing about what devices are being created. Continue reading to see what you can expect to show up sporting CHIP certification in the coming year.

Easier-Than-Ever Smart Lighting

Smart lighting is important for CHIP certification because it's so popular: when people start home automation, they tend to start with smart switches or smart bulbs for lighting. They're easy to set up and the benefits are very clear. CHIP will allow the Home app to control a wider variety of smart lights more intelligently, so you don't worry as much about a lighting product working with your iPhone – just check for the CHIP logo. This should also open the door for smart lights with new capabilities, like more voice control options and easier syncing with things like your smart speakers or displays.

Truly Universal Controllers

Today’s smart homes are so app-dependent that it may seem a little weird to consider a CHIP-certified controller. But that’s part of the magic of this new standard – a CHIP controller could theoretically control any CHIP device, which means you could get one controller that works for everything, like lights, speakers, locks, blinds, TVs, security arming, etc. This is an excellent option for those who like to feel the weight of a physical controller when controlling their house and makes it easier for people to adopt smart devices when they were hesitant before.

More Versatile Wi-Fi Routers

You do see routers with smart capabilities these days, although it’s generally limited to switching between bands or supporting voice assistant controls. CHIP could change that in some ways: watch for a new type of Wi-Fi router that functions as a hub more for complex home automation, like security setups. This could remove the need for a separate smart hub entirely for any systems that may still need one while making it easier to set up devices simultaneously.

Unobtrusive Smart Locks

Smart locks are an excellent, value-adding feature for a home, but it can get annoying to depend entirely on one app to manage the lock, permissions, and alerts. Look for CHIP versions to appear that streamline the entire process, making it easier to organically manage your locks without resorting to the app as often. Locks that respond to the presence of your phone and automatically lock, unlock, and log activity should start to become more common, which in turn means that smart locks can start appearing in a variety of other places besides just the front door – and commercial smart locks could also start becoming more prevalent.

Better Smart Blinds

Smart blinds are seeing a growing number of adopters as well, and reports indicate that CHIP smart blinds are finally on their way. A big barrier to smart blinds is that they can be difficult to retrofit on existing blinds, since they require motors and many window treatments just aren’t made for that. But as older blinds get replaced, more and more people are choosing smart blind systems as their new models. CHIP versions will be more compatible than ever and make it easier to tie them to schedules or voice commands for scenes.

Useful Smart TVs

Smart TVs are an interesting CHIP decision. Sometimes, there’s no reason for a TV to actually be smart: app offerings and streaming capabilities are already done on other devices, like Apple TVs, receivers, or game consoles (which you likely already own). But with CHIP certification, new options open up that could make smart TVs worthwhile. Imagine being able to bring up a live feed of your porch right on your TV when a person approaches your video doorbell—or automatically syncing your Bluetooth speakers whenever you turn on the TV, so you get room-filling audio without any extra steps!