mardi 3 janvier 2023

What matters about Matter, the new smart home standard

A comprehensive guide to the products that work with Matter — the Amazon, Google, Apple, and Samsung-backed smart home standard — and what you can buy right now.

Matter is a common language for smart home devices designed to simplify everything about the smart home, from purchase to setup and everyday use. Its biggest promise is making smart devices work with each other across platforms and ecosystems, no matter who made them. No more checking for the “works with” HomeKit, Google Home, or Alexa badges — Matter devices work with all of them. It’s also entirely local, so gadgets should respond more quickly. Yes, Matter should make your smart light bulb work just as fast as your non-smart light switch.

All this means you won’t have to pick a platform when adding Matter devices to your home. You can control your smart lighting, smart locks, etc., simultaneously with Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, and even Bixby, should you want to. You can also easily switch your gadgets between platforms.

This article is a breakdown of the basics around Matter and how it will work in your home. Including which products and platforms will work with the new standard and when. For more on the technology behind Matter, check out this deep dive into the new standard: Matter’s plan to save the smart home.

As new information comes out, we’ll keep this article updated.

What is Matter and when can I use it?

Matter is an interoperability standard designed to solve many of today’s smart home headaches.

Developed and run by the Connectivity Standards Alliance, Matter is supported by a long list of companies. From platform owners like Apple, Google, and Amazon and major manufacturers such as Samsung and LG to smaller accessory-focused players like Nanoleaf, Eve, and Wyze, there’s an unprecedented industry coalition behind Matter. Which is why it’s probably going to work.

Matter isn’t a new protocol; it’s a specification for how devices should talk to each other. It runs over existing protocols: Thread for low-power, low-bandwidth devices such as light bulbs and sensors, and Wi-Fi or ethernet for higher bandwidth devices like streaming media players and cameras (when they arrive).

A key feature of the specification is that all devices can run locally in your home; they do not require an internet connection to work or to work together, although cloud connectivity is an option and allows for out-of-the-home control and integration with cloud services.

Matter officially launched in the fall of 2022; all major smart home platforms now support it but devices are still few and far between. We tested a few Eve devices with beta Matter support in December 2022, to mixed results.

Early 2023 is when you can realistically expect to use Matter in your home.

What do I need to use Matter?

*This diagram explains how devices will communicate across the different protocols supported by Matter.*

A Matter controller

To add and control Matter devices, you need a Matter controller. Unlike proprietary hubs and bridges from companies such as Philips Hue and Lutron Caseta, Matter controllers are not brand-specific. As long as it’s a Matter controller, it can control a Matter device — no matter who made it. (It doesn’t get old)

Matter controllers are built into the latest versions of Android and Apple’s operating systems, and all the flagship smart speakers and devices are now Matter controllers: including the Apple HomePod Mini, Apple TV 4K, Amazon Echo and Google Nest Hub speakers and displays, and Samsung SmartThings hubs.

Many different types of devices can be Matter controllers: smart speakers, voice assistants, apps, or hubs with apps. Their primary role is to manage communications, control, automations, and remote access (when enabled). Because of this, your Matter controller is ideally a device that is always in your home, always powered, and has a direct connection to your home network.

It’s worth noting that Matter controllers aren’t necessarily Matter devices. You probably won’t be able to control an Amazon Echo Show with your Google Nest Hub Max or a Samsung Family Hub fridge with your Apple TV.

A Thread border router

Matter works over Wi-Fi, ethernet, and Thread. Matter controllers take care of Wi-Fi and ethernet devices, but if you have Thread devices, you need a Thread border router to talk to the Matter controller. Helpfully, some Matter controllers are also Thread border routers.

Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

The Thread logo

Thread is a low-power, low-latency wireless protocol that creates a self-healing mesh network. This means the more devices you have on it, the better the range and reliability will be. Similar to the Zigbee protocol, Thread works on the same 2.4GHz spectrum and is designed for the same low-power devices: sensors, light bulbs, plugs, and shades.

But Thread is IPv6 based, which means it can talk to the internet directly, whereas Zigbee devices require a hub, and often a proprietary one. Thread also has lower latency and is an open protocol — Zigbee has become hopelessly fragmented. Like Matter controllers, Thread border routers are platform agnostic, so any Thread device can connect to them.

Thread border routers don’t need a hardwired internet connection. They just need continuous power and Wi-Fi. This means that, unlike traditional bridges and hubs, they can be almost anything from a smart light or smart speaker to a fridge, television, or thermostat. In the long run, it’s likely that your next Wi-Fi router will contain a Thread border router, so you won’t have to worry about this at all.

Today, existing devices from Amazon, Apple, Eero, Google, and Samsung have Thread border routers that support Matter.

Which smart home platforms support Matter?

The four big platforms — Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, and Samsung SmartThings — all support Matter. This means you can use any of their apps, smart speakers, hubs, and smart voice assistants as Matter controllers to manage your connected devices.

Because of a Matter feature called Multi-Admin — which lets you control the same Matter devices with multiple platforms — you don’t have to use one of the big four to control your devices. Several companies have already said their apps will become Matter controllers, including the TP-Link Tapo app, the Aqara app, and the Wiser app. And there will likely be more options soon.

You do need to use an app. Matter doesn’t have its own app. It isn’t a platform; it’s just the language the devices speak to each other. You’ll need to pick an app to manage that language and tell your smart thermostat to turn down and your lights to turn off when you lock your door. With Matter, these types of automations will run across devices from different companies that weren’t previously compatible.

So, yes, you will be able to control the new Nest Thermostat with Apple’s Siri or an Eve smart plug with Amazon Alexa. Plus, you can use the Apple Home app on your iPhone to turn on the living room light, and your partner can use the Google Home app on their Android phone to turn on the same lights.

Here is a rundown of what each of the smart home platforms has said it is doing to support Matter:

An Echo Dot with Clock on a counter — *The Echo Dot with Clock will be a Matter Controller over Wi-Fi.*

Amazon Alexa Matter support

A total of 17 Echo devices — including all of the current lineup — became Matter compatible in December 2022. So far, they only support Matter-over-Wi-Fi — and just three out of the first Matter device types: smart plugs, smart bulbs, and smart switches.

The Alexa app supports Matter on Android, and Amazon has said it will update the iOS Alexa app in 2023. Its flagship fourth-generation Echo smart speaker will also become a Thread border router “early next year.” Amazon’s Echo Studio, Echo Show 10, and Echo Plus speakers also technically have the capability to be border routers, but Amazon has not announced if those will be updated.

Amazon’s mesh Wi-Fi network company, Eero, has committed to supporting Matter, too. Most of its existing routers can already act as Thread border routers and will be upgraded to support Matter early next year. (See the full list below.)

Google Nest and Google Home Matter support

As of December 15, 2022, all Google’s Nest smart speakers and displays can act as Matter controllers. Newer products with Thread built in — such as the Nest Wi-Fi, Nest Wi-Fi Pro, Nest Hub Max, and second-gen Nest Hub — are also Thread border routers. Android devices and the Google Home app are also now Matter-compatible and can add Matter devices to Google Home smart homes.

*The new Apple TV 4K Wi-Fi + Ethernet is a Matter controller and Thread border router.*

Apple Home Matter support

As of iOS 16.1, Apple’s HomePod, HomePod Mini, and 2021 and 2022 Apple TV 4K models are already Matter controllers. The HomePod Mini, Apple TV 4K Wi-Fi + Ethernet (2022), and Apple TV 4K (2021) are also Thread border routers. All Apple’s operating systems — watchOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and HomePod software — are now Matter certified, too.

The Apple Home app and Siri voice assistant on Apple devices support Matter. The company has said all existing HomeKit APIs will automatically work with Matter-enabled accessories.

“We believe all smart home accessories should work together to provide the most choice and interoperability for customers without compromising security and privacy,” Apple spokesperson Jacqueline Roy told me. “This is why we helped create and contribute to the new Matter standard so that all smart home accessories will have the same level of security, privacy, and ease of use that Apple customers enjoy today with HomeKit accessories.”

Samsung SmartThings Matter support

Samsung’s v2 and v3 SmartThings hubs have been updated to work as Matter controllers, and the v3 hub and Aeotec SmartThings hub are now also Thread border routers.

Samsung says its Galaxy smartphones and tablets, newer smart TVs and monitors, and its Family Hub refrigerators will get updated to support Matter-over-Wi-Fi.

The $35 SmartThings Hub Dongle will get Matter and Thread early next year. It already supports Zigbee and can be plugged into a smart TV or fridge to add full support for SmartThings-compatible Zigbee and Thread devices.

SmartThings hubs will not bridge existing devices into Matter. So your connected Zigbee and Z-Wave devices won’t show up in other Matter ecosystems — only in SmartThings.

Will I need to replace my existing smart devices?

Matter is designed to include devices already in our homes, and while some existing Thread devices that companies said might get upgraded to Matter now won’t, there are potential upgrade paths for many gadgets.

Zigbee devices can be bridged to Matter through their existing hub (both Philips Hue and Aqara have pledged to do this).
Some Wi-Fi devices can get Matter compatibility with an over-the-air firmware update.
Theoretically, some Zigbee devices could get device-level Matter-over-Thread support, though no such updates have been announced.

*Aqara’s existing hubs, including theM2 Hub (left), G2H camera hub (center), and M1S hub (right), will be updated to bridge connected Aqara devices into Matter.*

Current devices that can’t be upgraded to Matter will continue to work with the platforms they already work with. They will coexist with Matter devices on those platforms and can be used alongside them in routines and automations.

Bluetooth-only devices that don’t rely on bridges, such as Eve’s earlier line of security and sensor products or GE Cync’s Bluetooth mesh bulbs, can’t be updated to work with Matter since Matter doesn’t support Bluetooth except for device setup. Eve has already rolled out new Thread-enabled versions of almost its entire range of Bluetooth products.

Because the Matter specification was delayed several times and only finalized in late 2022, several manufacturers — including Nanoleaf, Belkin WeMo, and Schlage — shipped Thread products that they expected to update with Matter support, only to find that the hardware couldn’t handle the software requirements of the final version.

Instead, all those companies have announced plans to launch new Matter-enabled products next year. It’s a good idea not to buy any Thread products going forward until they have Matter support.

What about Z-Wave and Zigbee?

To date, we haven’t heard of any Z-Wave hubs that will expose their Z-Wave devices to Matter. Jaeyeon Jung, executive vice president and Head of SmartThings at Samsung Electronics, told me there is a significant technical complexity to doing this. “Looking at each legacy device and coming up with a way to convert each to Matter would be a huge process,” she said. “We still have to look at all the technical details to see if that would be possible.”

The Z-Wave Alliance is promoting solutions to bridge existing Z-Wave devices into Matter. Chipmaker Silicon Labs has developed both software and hardware solutions to enable this. But none of these have yet made their way into products you can buy.

For now, if you have Z-Wave or Zigbee devices, stick with whatever hub you are already using or switch to SmartThings or Home Assistant if you want Matter and your current platform won’t support it.

Will I still need hubs and bridges to run my smart home?

Yes. If you have devices that work through a bridge today, you will need to keep your bridges and hubs to continue using these devices. This applies to things like Philips Hue lighting products, Aqara sensors, Z-Wave and Zigbee devices going through a hub like Samsung SmartThings or Hubitat, or Ikea smart home devices on its older Trådfri gateway.

In an ideal world, you should not have to buy any more bridges or hubs. “Matter is going to be cheaper for device makers. It’s going to be cheaper for a lighting company, for example, to make an IP-based bulb [than continue to build bridges],” says Chris LaPré, head of technology for the CSA. “In the long run, Matter will take over, and eventually, you’ll just get rid of all the bridges.”

However, Signify — which owns Philips Hue — has said it will continue to use a bridge with its Zigbee-based lighting products and has no plans to make any of its other products directly Matter enabled.

Image: Connectivity Standards Alliance

The Matter logo should appear on new Matter-compatible devices.

Which products will work with Matter?

Most companies that have announced Matter devices say they will start shipping in Q1 of 2023.

New products that are compatible with Matter should have the Matter logo on them (it looks a bit like a stick person wearing bikini bottoms). Many manufacturers are adding Matter support to existing devices with over-the-air firmware updates. (More on this in a bit.)

The first device types supported in Matter are:

Light bulbs and light switches
Plugs and outlets
Door locks
Thermostats and other HVAC controllers (mini-splits, etc.)
Blinds and shades
Sensors (motion, contact)
Bridges
Televisions and streaming video players

The following device categories will be included in a future update to Matter, according to the CSA:

Wireless Access Points (routers / modems)
Garage door and gate controller sensors
Home security cameras
Home appliances
Robot vacuums
Environmental quality sensors and controls (such as indoor air quality monitors and air purifiers)
Smoke and CO detectors
Ambient motion and presence sensing
Energy management

A trio of blue, orange, and yellow Apple HomePod Mini speakers, sitting together on a table. — *The HomePod Mini is both a Matter controller and a Thread border router.*

Devices that work with Matter now

Matter controllers with Thread border routers

Matter controllers

Apple HomePod
Apple TV 4K Wi-Fi (2022)
Apple Home app on devices running iOS 16.1 or newer
Amazon Alexa app (Android)
Echo smart speaker (third-gen and newer)
Echo Dot (third-gen and newer)
Echo Dot with Clock (third-gen and newer)
Echo Studio
Echo Show 8 (second-gen and newer)
Echo Show 10 (third-gen)
Echo Show 5 (second-gen and newer)
Echo Input
Echo Flex
Echo Plus (v2)
Google Nest Audi o
Google Nest Mi ni
Nest Hub (first-gen)
Google Home (original smart speaker)
Google Home Mini
Nabu Casa Home Assistant Yellow
Home Assistant
Samsung SmartThings app (Android)
Samsung SmartThings Hub v2

Lighting and plugs

Eve Energy smart plug
All Wiz lighting products manufactured since Q2 2021 now have Matter certification
Meross Matter Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini

Sensors

Eve Motion motion sensor (December 12th / Thread)
Eve Door & Window contact sensor (December 12th / Thread)

A white motion sensor in front of a cat. — *The Eve Motion motion sensor will get a firmware upgrade on December 12th to support with Matter.*

Philips Hue Bridge device shown wall-mounted above a table, near a lamp. — *The Philips Hue Bridge will bring Matter to existing Hue devices, though the devices themselves will not be updated.*

Devices that should work with Matter in Q1 of 2023

Matter controllers

Aqara app
Aqara Hub M2 (delayed)— will bridge over 40 existing Aqara devices
Wiser app
Tuya Smart life app*
Alexa app (iOS)

*Tuya Smart is an IoT development platform service provider that supports over 446,000 developers with schematics for over 1,100 smart home products from robot vacuums to smart lights. It already has Matter certification for a number of light bulbs and smart plugs. Brands that use Tuya include Teckin, Gosund, Nooie, Lidl, and Iotty

Apps that will support Matter

Eve app (iOS and Android)
Samsung SmartThings app (iOS)

Bridges

Philips Hue Bridge — all connected Hue lighting products will bridge into Matter (except Hue Sync Box and Tap Dial Switch)
Schneider Electric Wiser Gateway — will bridge over 200 existing Wiser Zigbee devices

Wi-Fi routers

Lighting and plugs

New products

TP-Link smart bulbs, switches, plugs, and hubs — 10 new products from these categories
Nanoleaf Matter Essentials A19 light bulb (coming 2023 / Thread)
Nanoleaf Matter Essentials GU10 light bulb (coming 2023 / Thread)
Nanoleaf Matter Essentials Light Strip (coming 2023 / Thread)
Schneider Electric Smart Plug
Yeelight Smart Light

Sensors

New products

Aqara Door and Window Sensor P2 (coming 2023 / Thread)
Aqara Motion and Light Sensor P2 (coming 2023 / Thread)

White Google Nest Wifi Pro router on a white table, in front of a window. — *The Google Nest Wifi Pro will receive a Matter update sometime in 2023.*

Devices that should work with Matter sometime in 2023

Matter controllers with Thread border routers

Samsung SmartThings Hub Dongle

New products

Aqara Hub M3 (coming 2023)
Homey Pro hub (coming 2023)
HOOBS Pro

Matter controllers

Apps that will support Matter

Google Home app (Android/iOS)
TP-Link Tapo app

New products

Mui Board 2.0

Bridges

Lighting and plugs

Eve Flare Lamp (Thread, coming soon)
Eve Light Switch (Thread)

New products

Connected by Wiz products (i.e., Philips Smart lighting)

Sensors

Eve Room (Thread)
Eve Weather (Thread)
Eve Water Guard (Thread)

New products

Netatmo Smart Security Sensor (Thread)

Appliances

Others

Eve MotionBlinds (Thread)
Eve Shutter Switch (Thread, coming soon)
Eve Aqua (Thread)

A touchscreen keypad on a door. — *The Yale Assure 2 smart lock will get Matter via an upcoming Matter-over-Thread networking module.*

Devices that should work with Matter at some point

Controllers

Flic Hub and Flic Buttons

Bridges

Door locks

Level Lock (all models) (Thread)
Yale Assure Lock 2 (Thread module)

New products

Future August smart locks
Future Schlage smart locks

Thermostats

Google Nest Thermostat
Eve Thermo (Thread)

Lighting and plugs

New products

Yeelight Pro
Yeelight Cube
Cync A19 smart bulb
Cync light strip
Sengled Wi-Fi A19 bulb
Belkin Wemo Smart Plug (Thread)
Belkin Wemo Smart Light Switch (Thread)
Belkin Wemo Smart Dimmer (Thread)

Other

Somfy

How easy will it be to add a Matter device to your smart home?

Adding a Matter device to your smart home should be very simple and similar no matter which device you’re adding or which platform you’re adding it to. Although in early testing, I ran into some hiccups. But once all the software updates have rolled out things should be smoother. Essentially, it’s much like adding a device to Apple’s Home platform today.

Matter uses numeric and QR setup codes and Bluetooth Low Energy to add a device to your network. Open the device maker’s app or your smart home platform app, scan the QR code or manually enter the numeric code written on the device, and follow the prompts.

NFC pairing will be an option for some devices, letting you tap the device with your phone. And some platforms will support auto-detection, so your phone will just see there is a device ready to be paired and prompt you to add it.

Once your device is set up in one platform, you can add it to other apps and platforms using Matter’s multi-admin feature. The process to share is similar to onboarding, only you don’t have to have the device in hand, as the app creates a pairing code for you.

Is Matter private and secure?

Smart home adoption has been slow as people are concerned about their privacy and security. The CSA says keeping devices secure is a core tenet of Matter.

“We are secure by design, we take a zero-trust approach, we use specific industry-standard encryption technology, and every device gets authenticated before it joins the network,” says Michelle Mindala-Freeman, head of marketing at CSA. “Every message is secured on the network, and Matter supports secure over-the-air updates.”

In terms of your home’s data, that relationship remains between you and the individual manufacturers, says Mindala-Freeman. However, Matter’s privacy principles outline data privacy protections, including minimizing how much data is shared in any Matter interaction and defining the purpose of data sharing when requested. As a bonus, because Matter has trust built into the system, you won’t have to continually input your passwords to connect ecosystems, explains the CSA’s LaPré.

The significant advantage of Matter devices — direct IP control that lets them speak straight to the internet — is also seen as a possible security concern. The CSA says Matter’s security approach delivers security that is “strong, agile (to address the evolution of things like encryption types over time), and proactive, with a community of members who do threat modeling and mitigation,” says Tobin Richardson, president and CEO of the CSA.

The approach is one of resilient security while still getting the benefits of an IP-connected world “rather than security by obscurity,” he says. Until devices are out in the wild, confirming this approach’s proficiency is hard, but the intent checks all the right boxes.

Which smart home device categories won’t work with Matter?

*The new Ring Alarm Pro from the Amazon-owned company does not support Matter over Thread, says the company.*

Smart security cameras don’t currently work with Matter, but the CSA has said they will be part of a future update. How that will work in practice is unknown. Apple contributed the framework of its HomeKit smart home platform to Matter, so it’s possible that its HomeKit Secure Video may also be part of that contribution. We’ll have to wait and see.

Smart sensors are part of Matter, but home security systems are not — yet. Many smart homes run with an alarm system as the main hub, so the lack of integration here could be a deal-breaker for some.

Mitch Klein, executive director of the Z-Wave Alliance — a technology used widely in home alarm systems for door / window sensors, motion sensors, and other devices — explains that there will be significant challenges to porting that technology to Matter. “Securing UL approval for security devices is exceptionally difficult, and Matter has numerous challenges here,” he says. “UL is a benchmark and often an insurance requirement. All professionally-installed security systems insist on UL approval.”

Speaking of cameras and alarm systems, one of the biggest smart home companies in both these spaces — Ring — hasn’t offered any indication it will support Matter. I asked how / if Ring Alarm might integrate into Matter last year, and a spokesperson stated: “Ring Alarm Pro does not support Matter over Thread.”

Whole home audio streaming (the tech from speaker companies like Sonos and Bose) is not currently supported, and we don’t know how Alexa, Apple, and Google’s current multiroom music streaming solutions will integrate with Matter. There is a Matter casting feature in the specification, but so far, there haven’t been any implementations of it announced.

Update January 3rd, 2023, 5:05PMET: Updated to reflect Matter updates and rollouts (and some delays) through the end of 2022.

Update November 16th, 2022, 3:45PM ET: This article was originally published in October 2021. Following the launch of Matter this month and the beginning of the availability of products. We have revised much of it to keep it current.

Shower pods are here to turn your bathroom into a spa

Sprig Shower Infusion System set up in a shower. — *Sprig Shower Infusion System.* | Image: Kohler

Ever wish you could bring the spa home with you? Well, now you kind of can. Kohler announced a new aromatherapy shower infusion system at CES 2023 that will add a spa-like experience to your daily showers — just get ready to add shower pods to your shopping list.

Kohler’s Sprig Shower Infusion System consists of a gadget capable of attaching to any showerhead paired with Sprig Shower Pods. Once the shower is on, Kohler’s Sprig Shower Pods infuse the water stream with a combination of scents, like eucalyptus, chamomile, and lavender, as well as ingredients that are supposed to be good for the skin, like hyaluronic acid and sodium. Kohler says the pods are safe to use on the entire body and should run for “several minutes.”

While you can use the device with any showerhead, one part of it is very Kohler-specific: you can only insert Kohler’s Sprig Shower Pods into the gadget’s holder. These will have to be purchased separately and start at $21 for a six-pack of single-use pods or $24 for a single multiuse pod with eight uses.

Sprig Shower Pods in a shower. — *Sprig Shower Pods.*

The shower infusion system starts at $119 and will be available to purchase during the first quarter of 2023.

Kohler isn’t alone in thinking shower infusions could be the next hit wellness gadget. This month, the shower tech startup Hai is launching a product called Fuse, which can also attach to any showerhead and infuse the water with scents and vitamins. At $49, the attachment is much cheaper than Kohler’s, though, and launches on January 25th. Instead of pods, Hai’s shower infusion system uses “infusion tablets.”

Hai shower infusion tablets in a package. — *Hai shower infusion tablets.*

The tablets are made from ingredients like sodium bicarbonate and citric acid and come in scents like lavender and mandarin. They’ll cost $26 for a 16-pack or can be purchased for $20 per month.

Samsung Display’s new QD-OLED TV panels can hit 2,000 nits of peak brightness

*Samsung Display’s 77-inch QD-OLED TV panel.* | Image: Samsung Display

Although Samsung is yet to officially reveal its lineup of QD-OLED TVs for the year, its display division has just teased a couple of key specs: a maximum peak brightness of 2,000 nits, and an increase in power efficiency of up to 25 percent.

2,000 nits of peak brightness is around double what Samsung’s debut QD-OLED TV, the S95B, was able to put out last year. It also appears to be higher than the 1,800 nits that an LG spokesperson told FlatPanelsHD that its 2023 G3 model should be able to reach (although LG’s TV may go higher depending on exact picture settings).

Although peak brightness isn’t the be-all-and-end-all of picture quality, brighter screens tend to produce better HDR with more impact and vibrancy. And if they’re able to sustain this brightness over a large portion of the screen, it could also make Samsung’s new TVs more viable for use in bright rooms, where dimmer OLED models can suffer from excessive reflections and generally poor visibility. A peak brightness of 2,000 nits would put Samsung Display’s new QD-OLED panels in the same ballpark as a bright Mini LED TV like Hisense’s U8H.

Samsung Display’s ultra-wide 49-inch QD-OLED panel. — *Samsung Display’s ultra-wide 49-inch QD-OLED for monitors.*

Samsung Display says it’s been able to push the brightness of its Quantum Dot OLED (aka QD-OLED) panels further this year thanks to a combination of a new brightness optimization algorithm and a new material. The company’s press release says the IntelliSense AI algorithm “collects information on each pixel in real-time and uses it to precisely control light” while the HyperEfficient EL material makes the TV’s blue emitting layer more efficient and hence brighter and clearer.

In addition to being brighter, Samsung Display’s QD-OLED panels are now available in a wider variety of sizes. There are the 34-, 55-, and 65-inch panel sizes that we saw appear in last year’s monitors and TVs, but this year they’re joined by a larger 77-inch TV panel that was initially teased in September. There’s also an ultrawide 49-inch QD-OLED panel that’s set to appear in Samsung’s new Odyssey G95SC monitor.

There’s no word on pricing, availability, or even the model numbers of the TVs that these panels are expected to appear in. But if Samsung’s 2,000 nit promise is reflective of the real-world brightness of its latest TVs, then 2023 may see one of the key issues that have plagued OLED TVs for years finally addressed.

Investors convert ‘totally worthless’ NFTs into tax write-offs

A new service offers a way to offset losses from NFTs during a grim crypto winter that saw demand for digital collectibles vanish

Just a year ago, Washington DC’s Hirshhorn art museum – the capital’s preeminent contemporary art museum – was asking whether non-fungible tokens (NFTs) were “fad or the future of art”. Twelve months on, it looks like “tax write-off” might have been the right answer.

This year was not just the year that cryptocurrency values were burned by investor fears, rising interest rates, inflation and scandals, it was the year that crypto’s cartoonish art cousin the NFT – an electronic identifier confirming a digital collectible is real – collided with reality.

lundi 2 janvier 2023

Tesla falls short of its goal of growing 50 percent in 2022

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Tesla delivered just over 1.3 million vehicles in 2022, missing its goal of achieving 50 percent growth year-over-year. The company needed to hit approximately 1.4 million deliveries to meet its target, indicating that transportation and logistics challenges continue to plague the EV company.

Tesla said it delivered 405,278 vehicles in in the fourth quarter of 2022, which includes 17,147 Model S and X vehicles and 388,131 Model 3 and Y vehicles. Wall Street analysts had been predicting 415,000 vehicles delivered during the quarter. For the year, the company delivered 66,705 Model S and X vehicles, and 1,247,146 Model 3 and Y vehicles.

Analysts were hoping for a robust 1.8 million vehicles delivered for the year, but Tesla needed to deliver just 1.4 million in 2022 in order to meet its goal of 50 percent growth for the year. And despite just missing that goal, it was another record quarter of deliveries for the EV maker, which has been dealing with a number of challenges this year, many of which have nothing to do with Elon Musk buying Twitter.

“We continued to transition towards a more even regional mix of vehicle builds which again led to a further increase in cars in transit at the end of the quarter,” the company said in a statement. “Thank you to all of our customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and supporters who helped us achieve a great 2022 in light of significant COVID and supply chain related challenges throughout the year.”

It was a year of unique struggles for Tesla, which included flagging demand, an aging lineup, and increased competition from legacy automakers. Musk’s purchase of Twitter led to a subsequent sharp decline in Tesla’s stock price, which plunged by as much as 65 percent over the course of the year. The rout shaved billions from Musk’s own net worth, leading him to claim the unfortunate designation as the first person to lose $200 billion, according to Bloomberg.

Tesla just announced that it will livestream its investor day on March 1st, 2023, and will be allowing some investors to attend in person.

Update, 1:18PM ET: Added that Tesla has just announced its investor day.

Tesla Car Sales Rose 18% in Last Quarter

Tesla Car Sales Rose 18% in Last Quarter The company’s rapid growth is expected to ease as the economy slows and demand for its electric cars weakens.

CES 2023: all the news from the year’s biggest tech conference

Samar Haddad / The Verge

At the year’s biggest tech show, we’ll see next-gen TVs, stylish laptop updates, questionable smart home tech, and a lot of strange and surprising gadgets.

CES, also known as the Consumer Electronics Show, is the biggest tech trade show of the year, kicking off the first week of January and setting the stage for trends, announcements, and ascendant product categories we’ll see throughout the rest of 2023. The show will give us an early look at the latest developments in TVs and laptops, useful (and sometimes invasive) smart home gadgets, and plenty of phones, monitors, cars, and smart toilets in between.

For 2023, CES runs from January 5th through January 8th. But the news will start coming in before then: Samsung, LG, Sony, and quite a few others will kick things off with a day of press conferences on January 4th. And you can bet that companies eager to get their news out will start sharing announcements even earlier in the week. It’s going to be a busy start to the new year.

The Verge will be covering CES on the ground in Las Vegas. You can follow along here for all the latest news and plenty of hands-on video coverage from the show. After a couple of quieter years — CES 2021 was online-only due to the pandemic, and CES 2022 saw just a quarter of the show’s typical attendance due to omicron concerns — the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes CES, expects this year’s show to be more of a return to form, with busier halls and a lot more news to go around.

Samsung is releasing two ultrawide QD-OLED gaming monitors in 2023

Samsung Odyssey G95SC OLED gaming monitor showing a spaceship. — *Samsung claims that the 49-inch Odyssey G95SC is the world’s first 32:9 aspect ratio OLED gaming monitor.* | Image Credit: Samsung

OLED gaming monitors are everywhere at CES 2023, and Samsung’s lineup is no exception. The company revealed the Odyssey G95SC monitor today, a 49-inch model that it claims is the world’s first 32:9 aspect ratio OLED gaming monitor. It also reminded us that its Odyssey 34-inch G8 QD-OLED monitor that debuted in the fall during IFA 2022 will be releasing “very soon.”

What sets these two models apart from what LG recently announced is that they use Samsung’s own QD-OLED tech, not LG Display’s latest panels. Below I’ve embedded a sidebar explaining how QD-OLED differs from OLED, but the TL;DR is that it’s able to produce a more contrast-rich picture at higher brightness levels — one of the few limitations of conventional OLED tech.

I have a hard time wrapping my head around how cool it’d be to sit in front of Samsung’s new 49-inch Odyssey G95SC. Thankfully, it can wrap itself around my head instead. It has a super-wide 32:9 aspect ratio, expanding to 5,120 x 1,440 resolution with an 1800R curve. This model has a fast 240Hz refresh rate. It’s coming later in 2023 with no price tag attached for now.

A top-down view of Samsung’s Odyssey G8 34-inch OLED gaming monitor — *Both the 49-inch Odyssey G95SC and the Odyssey G8 (shown here) have a subtle 1800R curve.*

The Odyssey G8 is a bit smaller across the spec sheet, but it has a similar panel to what shipped in Alienware’s stellar QD-OLED gaming monitor from 2021. It matches key details including the 34-inch size, 21:9 aspect ratio, the 1800R curvature, its 3,440 x 1,440 resolution, and a 175Hz refresh rate. Samsung still hasn’t shared a price, but we’ll update this post if that changes.

Samsung claims that both of these monitors support HDR True Black 400, a VESA spec that means they can reach 400 nits of peak brightness. However, it’s possible that they’ll deliver lower brightness in reality, depending on what you watch on them. During HDTVTest’s review of the Alienware QD-OLED monitor, which has the same True Black spec as these new Samsung monitors, it delivered closer to 280 nits while displaying an all-white screen (the most brutal challenge for an OLED).

These monitors are meant to connect to powerful consoles and PCs, but they also support Samsung’s Gaming Hub, which lets you wirelessly connect a controller to play on cloud streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now. They also have Smart Hub, which let them access smart TV apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and more. In terms of ports, both of them feature Mini DisplayPort, Micro HDMI 2.1, and USB-C charging of up to 65W.

Apple’s battery replacement prices are going up by $20 to $50

Photo of an iPhone with its battery exposed. — If you need a new battery, now might be the time. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

Apple is raising the price of getting a new battery installed in most iPhones, iPads, and Macs, starting on March 1st. The company made the announcement on the devices’ repair pages, in small text under its price estimators, which was noticed by 9to5Mac.

How much the price hike is depends on what device you have. For iPhones, it’s simple — Apple’s site says “the out-of-warranty battery service fee will be increased by $20 for all iPhone models prior to iPhone 14.” For phones with a home button, that means the price will be going from $49 to $69, and for Face ID phones that means it’ll be going from $69 to $89. Those prices, by the way, were put in place in 2019, after Apple ran a year-long promotion where you could get a new battery for $29, to make up for its battery throttling controversy.

For “all MacBook Air models” the price increase will be $30, bringing the price from $129 to $159. For the MacBook (the 12-inch computer introduced in 2015, though Apple’s site only lists battery service options for the 2016 and 2017 models) and MacBook Pros, the $199 replacements will be going up by $50, to $249.

The iPads are the trickiest, just because there’s so many versions. The price increase is $20 across the lineup, but will apply to the following models, according to Apple’s website:

iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation and prior) — the current model is the 6th-gen, released in 2022.
iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation and prior) — the current is the 4th-gen, released in 2022.
iPad Pro 10.5-inch
iPad Pro 9.7-inch
All iPad minis
All iPad Airs

The price increases aren’t necessarily the most surprising thing ever — Apple’s latest iPhones already had more expensive replacements than their predecessors, as did the iPad Pros.

The elephant in the room is Apple’s self service repair program, which lets you buy batteries for an iPhone 12, 13, or 2022 SE, as well as for a MacBook Air. (Technically you can buy batteries for MacBook Pros as well, but they come as part of a $500-plus top case assembly.) The company’s DIY option has never been a great value compared to just bringing it in to an Apple store, but it’s unclear whether it’ll also be getting more expensive. There doesn’t appear to be a price increase warning on the separate Self Service Repair Store site — battery and screw kits for the iPhone 12 and 13 currently cost $69.00, though you can get around $24 back if you return your old battery. Apple didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment about its DIY pricing.

In theory, the battery replacement fee change shouldn’t affect people who have paid for Apple’s extended service plan — the company’s repair pages for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad all say something like “Your product is eligible for a battery replacement at no additional cost if you have AppleCare+ and your product’s battery holds less than 80% of its original capacity.”

That last part is worth noting because even if you find your battery life intolerable, Apple’s policy is that you’d have to pay to get it replaced unless your device’s software has marked a battery health problem. I have personal experience with this restriction — I took my AppleCare Plus-protected iPhone 12 Mini in to get a battery replacement in February 2022, and was told I’d have to pay if I wanted one because the maximum capacity listed in Settings > Battery > Battery Health and Charging was 84 percent.

Since then it’s felt like my phone’s battery life has cratered even further, but that number hasn’t changed by even a single percent. Even if my phone’s battery has only diminished by 16 percent and hasn’t actually gotten worse in the past year (again, I highly doubt this), it’s still a pretty rough experience; it’s gotten to the point where I have to charge my phone throughout the day if I plan on leaving the house at all.

It’s already a frustrating situation, but I can’t imagine how annoyed I’d be if my AppleCare plan expired in March, after the cutoff date. Thankfully (?), it expired in December, so I have some time to get it at the old price — even if I’ll be slightly annoyed that I have to pay for it at all.

Tech Industry Trends and Predictions for 2023

It's the beginning of a new year, and economically we are in a bit of trouble. But some amazing technologies are coming to market this year that I look forward to seeing. The post Tech Industry Trends and Predictions for 2023 appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

dimanche 1 janvier 2023

A partial list of all the EVs that qualify for the new $7,500 tax credit

As of January 1st, 2023, a bunch of electric vehicles became newly eligible for the $7,500 tax credit, which passed into law as part of the $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act a year ago.

Some models new to the list had lost their eligibility when their manufacturer hit the previous credit’s sales cap of 200,000 vehicles (Tesla models, Chevy Bolts). Others have recently shifted their production to North America, meeting one of the crucial requirements (VW ID.4).

There’s still a lot in the air right now — the Treasury Department has set a March deadline for releasing guidance on some of the thornier issues surrounding battery material sourcing and other rules that could drastically reduce the eligibility list if enacted — but for now, these are the EVs that qualify.

Foreign automakers are pressuring the Biden administration to give them a piece of the action, while Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) is threatening to block the implementation in an effort to prevent companies from exploiting loopholes. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk is whining about how it’s “messed up” that certain versions of the Tesla Model Y that exceed the $80,000 price cap don’t qualify, while a bunch of hybrid Jeeps do.

Bottom line: if you’re unsure whether the new EV you’re eyeing qualifies for the credit, talk to an accountant. Every state has at least a few CPAs that are familiar with the EV tax credit craziness and can help you navigate the murky waters ahead. They can also tell you what state incentives, if any, may be available.

This list is a good start, but don’t consider the last word.

U.S. Pours Money Into Chips, but Even Soaring Spending Has Limits

U.S. Pours Money Into Chips, but Even Soaring Spending Has Limits Amid a tech cold war with China, U.S. companies have pledged nearly $200 billion for chip manufacturing projects since early 2020. But the investments are not a silver bullet.

Sport, TV, tech and fashion: what does 2023 have in store for us?

From culture to politics, the cost of living crisis, lifestyle, the environment and science – the next 12 months will bring new stars, trends and challenges. Our experts point the way

There has been an audible buzz about Jack Draper in tennis circles for a while. But in 2023 expect the 21-year-old from Sutton in south-west London, who also has a contract with IMG Models, to crash into the mainstream. He certainly has enough of the right stuff, including the whiplash serve and punishing groundstrokes on the court, and the looks and personality off it.

Is modern life ruining our powers of concentration?

Is modern life ruining our powers of concentration? Is the ping of a text stealing our focus or do we just lack willpower? And could mindless scrolling ever be good for our brains? Elle Hunt unpacks some surprising truths

How does it feel inside your head? Turn your attention inwards. Maybe you’re daydreaming, allowing your mind to wander. Or maybe it feels sharp and alert. Maybe your thoughts are forging freely ahead, a sign that you have achieved the fabled state of “flow”. More likely, however, your brain feels like a browser with too many tabs open. From the widespread reports of a post-pandemic “brain fog” and the books on “deep work” and “stolen focus” topping bestseller lists, to the soaring diagnoses of ADHD in adults and children, it seems we are increasingly concerned by our ability to pay attention.

Early last year, the Centre for Attention Studies at King’s College London found that 49% of 2,000 adults surveyed felt their attention span was shorter than it used to be. Almost as many (47%) agreed that “‘deep thinking’ has become a thing of the past”. These are generalisations and impossible to quantify – we have no consistent measure of attention or deep thinking, let alone of contrasting those through history with today’s. But the response proves that we at least perceive there’s a problem.

‘He’s having the time of his life!’ How Tariq the Corn Kid embraced global fame – and broccoli

The seven-year-old’s deep love of sweetcorn made him a viral sensation. But how do you top meeting Michelle Obama and starring on The Drew Barrymore Show?

It was the height of summer when seven-year-old Tariq declared: “For me … I really like corn” – and promptly became an internet sensation. His video interview with Julian Shapiro-Barnum, host of web series Recess Therapy, went viral, as his description of corn as “a big lump with knobs” and general enthusiasm for the vegetable racked up views around the world.

“What do you like about corn?” asks Shapiro-Barnum in the video, which was shot at Smorgasburg, a weekly food festival in Prospect Park, New York. “Ever since I was told that corn was real, it tasted good,” says a gap-toothed Tariq, seemingly bemused by the sheer existence of corn. “But when I tried it with butter, everything changed! … I can’t imagine a more beautiful thing! It’s corn!”

A New Puzzle Turns Earth Into a Rubik’s Cube, But More Complex

A New Puzzle Turns Earth Into a Rubik’s Cube, But More Complex Continental Drift is one of Henry Segerman’s latest efforts to make mathematics “real.”

samedi 31 décembre 2022

Labour pledges to toughen ‘weakened and gutted’ online safety bill

Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell vows to target algorithms that bombard children with harmful content if party wins power

Tough new laws that would protect children from being bombarded with seriously harmful online material, will be introduced as a top priority of a Labour government.

After meeting families who have lost children as a result of exposure to harmful content, the shadow culture secretary, Lucy Powell, has won the backing of party leader Keir Starmer to legislate as one of the first acts of a Labour government, if the party wins the next election.

Tesla broke labor laws by telling workers not to discuss pay, NLRB claims

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Tesla’s accused of violating national labor laws by allegedly telling employees at its Orlando, Florida location not to talk about pay and working conditions, as first reported by Bloomberg. In a complaint filed in September, the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) regional director in Tampa claims Telsa “told employees not to complain to higher level managers about their pay or other conditions of employment” and said “not to discuss their pay with other persons.”

The complaint goes on to accuse Tesla of instructing employees not to discuss the hiring, suspension, or termination of employees with others. These incidents occurred from December 2021 to January 2022, the complaint alleges, and violates laws that prevent companies from “interfering with, restraining and coercing employees in the exercise of rights guaranteed” by the NLRB Act. In a statement to Bloomberg, NLRB spokesperson Kayla Blado says a judge will hear the arguments laid out by the complaint during a February hearing.

The NLRB has waged numerous complaints against Tesla in the past. In August, the NLRB ruled that Tesla’s dress code policy is unlawful for banning clothing with union logos. The agency also forced CEO Elon Musk to delete an anti-union tweet in 2021 (which still remains online while Tesla appeals the decision) and ruled that its firing of union activist Richard Ortiz was illegal at the same time. Additionally, two California-based Tesla employees filed complaints with the NLRB earlier this month over claims the company illegally fired them for criticizing Musk.

Grubhub must pay DC $3.5 million over claims it charged customers hidden fees

An image showing Grubhub’s website on a laptop screen.

Grubhub has been ordered to pay $3.5 million to settle a lawsuit from the District of Columbia that claims the company misled customers by tacking on hidden fees to their orders. According to a press release, Grubhub must pay $800,000 to DC as a civil penalty, while the remaining $2.7 million “will be paid back to affected customers.”

In March, DC Attorney General Karl Racine filed a lawsuit against Grubhub, accusing it of falsely promising “free” online orders to customers, as well as “unlimited free delivery” for those who subscribe to Grubhub Plus. The lawsuit alleges this practice is “deceptive” since Grubhub still takes a service fee for non-pickup orders made by Grubhub Plus customers, and charges both delivery and service fees for standard orders as well.

My office reached a $3.5 million settlement with Grubhub for charging customers hidden fees and using deceptive marketing techniques.

As a result, $2.7 million will be returned to the consumers who were impacted, and it will have to shape up and disclose every fee separately.
— AG Karl A. Racine (@AGKarlRacine) December 30, 2022

It also cites several other questionable business practices, such as the way Grubhub bundled service fees in a single line with sales taxes on the checkout page, something the company only stopped doing recently. Grubhub was previously accused of listing restaurants on the platform without their permission to expand the service, and launched a series of microsites resembling restaurants’ real sites in order to route orders through Grubhub. At the time of the suit’s filing, Grubhub refuted the claims and said “many of the practices at issue have been discontinued.”

As part of the settlement, Grubhub’s required to “place a refundable credit” in the accounts of affected customers, which applies to anyone who has “paid a small order or service fee on an order placed via the Grubhub Platform” at a restaurant located in DC anytime between January 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2022. Affected customers will get split into three groups depending on how often they used the platform, with those in the first group getting at least $4.50, the next getting at least $7, and the people in the final group getting at least $10. If the account owner doesn’t redeem the credit within 90 days of receipt, Grubhub’s required to send them a check with the amount they’re owed.

In addition to the payment, the platform’s required to make a number of changes, such as prominently displaying any additional fees to customers at checkout, listing each fee on separate lines, and shutting down or transferring ownership of the microsites it made for restaurants located in DC. Grubhub must also stop telling Grubhub Plus members that they can receive “free delivery,” and now has to disclose when the prices for certain menu items are higher than what they’re advertised at restaurants themselves. In an updated post on its website, Grubhub says it has agreed to “provide additional clarity for our diners and thousands of restaurant partners.”

“Grubhub used every trick in the book to manipulate customers into paying far more than they owed, and even worse, they did so at the height of a global pandemic when District residents were already struggling to make ends meet,” Racine says in a statement. “Grubhub’s hidden fees and misleading marketing tactics were designed to get the company an extra buck at the expense of DC residents but we’re not letting them get away with it.”

Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti leak reveals specs from ‘unlaunched’ RTX 4080

Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge

A new leak could confirm rumors that Nvidia’s planning on releasing the “unlaunched” 12GB RTX 4080 graphics card as the RTX 4070 Ti. The company briefly posted the specs for its upcoming RTX 4070 Ti GPU on its website, but Twitter user @momomo_us managed to snag a screenshot before Nvidia pulled the page down.

So far, the leaked specs look identical to that of the 12GB RTX 4080, with the chip sporting 7,680 CUDA cores, a 2.61 GHz boost clock, and 12GB of memory. It also says the GPU could run 4K at up to 240Hz or 8K at 60Hz with DSC and HDR, while an included chart indicates that the RTX 4070 Ti could outperform the RTX 3080 by about 3.5 times when playing Cyberpunk 2077 with its new Ray-Tracing: Overdrive mode.

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
Coming Month XXhttps://t.co/Z6Hv1Vv7ol pic.twitter.com/7sudSwgsFZ
— 188号 (@momomo_us) December 30, 2022

In October, Nvidia faced criticism over its decision to launch the 12GB RTX 4080 GPU under the RTX 4080 moniker because of how much it differs from its much more powerful 16GB counterpart. Unlike the 12GB model, the $1,199 16GB RTX 4080 features 9,728 CUDA Cores, a 2.51GHz boost clock, 780 Tensor-TFLOPs, 113 RT-TFLOPs, and 49 Shader-TFLOPs of power. This backlash led Nvidia to cancel its launch altogether and plan a way to repackage the chip.

Pricing for the RTX 4070 Ti hasn’t yet been confirmed, but some rumors indicate that it will be cheaper than the $899 12GB RTX 4080. According to Wccftech, Nvidia may go with a lower $799 price point because the US recently pushed back the reimplementation of a Trump-era tariff on Chinese-made GPUs and other computer parts, which was expected to go into effect at the start of 2023. Now the 25 percent tariff isn’t set to go into effect for another nine months.

Nvidia’s expected to launch the RTX 4070 Ti at CES in January, so we won’t have to wait too much longer to confirm these specs and rumored pricing.

From super scooters to smarter meters: six firms to watch in 2023

Times are tough for businesses old and new, but the pace of change in many sectors this year will be relentless

The upheavals of recent years have posed huge challenges for established companies, but for others rapid change can mean big opportunities. Entrepreneurs are breaking ground in important new areas, from artificial intelligence to biotechnology and super-smart energy meters. Here, we look at six companies making the most of the moment.

Your Memories. Their Cloud.

Your Memories. Their Cloud. Google, Apple and Meta offer near-limitless digital basements in which to store photos, videos and important documents, but you should keep a copy of what you hold most dear.