There’s lastly some excellent news for anybody battling a number of Thread networks whereas utilizing Matter units of their sensible dwelling — so long as you’re the affected person sort. In keeping with Matter Alpha, the tvOS 26 beta introduced at WWDC this week provides Thread 1.4 to Apple TVs. And, as Apple’s sensible audio system use a fork of tvOS, it’s doubtless that the upcoming HomePod OS 26 will embody 1.4 as nicely.
Thread 1.4 brings a typical means for Thread border routers, comparable to Apple TVs and HomePods, to hitch an current Thread community, fixing the issue the place border routers from completely different producers arrange separate networks after they be part of your sensible dwelling. “We’re seeing an amazing shift towards Thread 1.4 amongst some main system, platform, and border router distributors,” Thread Group VP of selling Ann Olivo advised The Verge.
However, with tvOS 26 not arriving till the autumn, and Google and Amazon’s adoption of Thread 1.4 coming subsequent yr on the earliest, these of us who like to combine and match our sensible dwelling {hardware} — perhaps you’ve an Apple TV, an Eero router, and a Google Nest Hub — should wait till at the least 2026 for a extra secure and speedier sensible dwelling.
Launched in September 2024, Thread 1.4 is the most recent specification of the sensible dwelling protocol that Matter runs on. Thread provides a low-power, low-bandwidth mesh networking protocol designed particularly for IoT units like lights, locks, sensors, and extra. The 1.4 spec dictates that when a border router is added, it’s going to be part of the prevailing Thread community versus creating a brand new one — no matter model or platform. So, for instance, your new Echo Present 8 would be part of the community already created by your Apple TV.
Thread-powered units require a Thread border router to hook up with the web. As we speak, there are a number of choices for border routers, together with the latest Apple TVs and HomePods, higher-end Echo and Google Nest sensible audio system, and a few Wi-Fi routers, together with Eeros. You probably have a couple of of those units, they could arrange separate Thread networks, which may trigger points. The most important being that you just lose the prolonged vary and reliability advantages of a unified mesh community.
I presently have 9 Thread networks working in my dwelling. Samsung SmartThings has created three. My Nest community contains most of my HomePods and my Google TV streamer; my Apple community has a more moderen Apple TV and a Nanoleaf border router in it. I’ve three separate Eero networks, one with Eero units in it and the opposite two with Echo units in them. Whereas my setup shouldn’t be typical (I take a look at sensible dwelling units for a residing), it does show what a large number this could create.
Older variations of Thread are being sunsetted to hurry up the transition. “Thread 1.3 certification purposes for Thread Border Routers will shut December 31, 2025,” Olivo confirmed. “As of Jan. 1, 2026, Thread 1.4 would be the solely specification accessible for Thread Border Router certification.”
With Apple poised to implement Thread 1.4 this fall with tvOS 26, I checked in with Google, Amazon, and Samsung to see the place they had been at. All are nonetheless on 1.3. Nonetheless, Mark Benson, head of SmartThings US, mentioned Samsung’s border routers shall be on 1.4 “later this yr.” Amazon spokesperson Melanie Garvey mentioned they may deliver help for 1.4 “throughout suitable units subsequent yr.” Alex Sakhartchouk, a software program engineer at Google Residence, confirmed that they’re actively working towards including help for Thread 1.4 “sooner or later.”
“As of Jan. 1, 2026, Thread 1.4 would be the solely specification accessible for Thread Border Router certification.”
Sakhartchouk added that Google Nest Thread border routers already “do our greatest” to hitch current networks by integrating with cell Thread credential storage APIs on Android and iOS. That means, if you set them up together with your smartphone, they need to share credentials with an current border router utilizing the telephone. “We share our credentials through these identical cell APIs to permit others to hitch our networks,” he mentioned. This labored for me — after I arrange the Google TV streamer, it joined my current Apple Thread community.
Whereas cell credential sharing helps right now, and the Wi-Fi router-based answer put in place by the Connectivity Requirements Alliance in Matter 1.4 may assist in some unspecified time in the future, essentially the most easy repair is border routers speaking with one another. This could have been the method from day one — however it seems to be like we’ll must be affected person some time longer.