SmartThings V3 Hub Now Has Border Router Functionality

Back in October, Samsung announced that for their part of the Matter rollout, the V2 and V3 SmartThings hubs (Aeotec manufactures V3) would be getting firmware updates to allow them to work as Matter controllers. This will allow users to control Matter devices over WiFi or Ethernet, although existing devices connected to the hubs via ZWave, Zigbee etc, won’t be exposed to Matter, but when it comes to Thread-enabled devices, the V3 hub and v3 dongles will fare better.

The latest hub, which promised Thread Border Router functionality has now been added to the list of Thread-compatible devices on The Thread Group’s website, which would allow Thread devices to be exposed to Matter (Matter over Thread).

As is currently the case with both Amazon Alexa and Google Home apps, initially the updates will only be accessible via the Android version of the SmartThings app, although as expected, an update for the iOS version of the app will be coming in the first quarter of 2023, which is also the case for the aforementioned apps for Alexa and Google.

Samsung also states that both Zigbee and Thread will work from the same chipset, thereby continuing to support Zigbee devices as well as newer Thread products as and when they are released. As it stands, Eve has three devices that can be updated to support Matter over Thread (via a beta program) – the Eve Energy Smart plug, the Eve Door & Window Sensor, and the Eve Motion Sensor, with Meross due to release their first Matter over Wifi Smart plug at the end of 2022.