What you need to know
- A little trickery with Android 15's code surfaced its upcoming Thread network support for better control over Matter-capable devices.
- Certain devices with the appropriate Thread radio will gain efficiency and performance enhancements for their smart devices.
- Thread is a wireless mesh protocol that enables a better link between your Matter smart home devices.
Google is preparing to bring its Android Thread network to certain devices running Android 15, and the latest discovery sheds some light on it.
After a little code trickery by Mishaal Rahman (Android Authority), he surfaced Android 15's Thread network support on a Pixel 8 Pro. It seems that Google is preparing to pop the feature into your "Connection Preferences" page under Settings > Connected devices.
Early signs indicate the page will read "Thread," and tapping on it will let users toggle its functionality on or off. More importantly, Google's description for the feature reads, "Thread helps connect your smart home devices, boosting efficiency and performance."
Enabling Thread will allow a user's supported Android phone (running OS 15) to join the network and gain control over your Matter smart home devices.
Rahman notes that this will remove the need for smart home consumers to need a "Thread border router." An example of a border router would be Google TV. Rahman reiterated Google's announcement earlier this year about "select TVs" running its Google TV software, which could serve as a border router.
Essentially, the TV acts as a bridge, connecting your Thread-supported devices to your Wi-Fi network.
More testing and understanding of Android's Thread network support will likely take place when the major OS releases later this year. What's more, we're still left wondering which devices will feature a Thread radio to utilize this new function.
While Matter is referred to as the new "communication standard" for smart home devices, Thread, on the other hand, is its wireless mesh protocol. Simply put, Thread is the link between all of your devices. There are some backup protocols within Thread, as the ones responsible for its creation stated that its networks have "no single point of failure and include the ability to self-heal."
Not all Matter-supported devices feature Thread — which is a notable distinction. Moreover, those that do feature Thread are relatively easy to set up at home as they come pre-configured. Security-wise, these devices are end-to-end encrypted when communicating with your phone, between other devices, and to the cloud.
The latest Matter 1.3 update was keen on letting consumers connect their EV chargers and appliances to their home ecosystem. New devices like stovetops and dyers enter the fray. EV chargers were stated to benefit from Matter's new energy management system, enabling them to report "actual and estimated measurements" like voltage, current, and other electrical analytics.
