What Is Thread? Matter’s Smart Home Network Protocol, Explained

• Amazon Echo (4th generation)
• Amazon Eero 6, 6 Plus, Pro 6E, Eero 7, Pro 7, Max 7, PoE 6 and PoE Gateway
• Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd generation), Echo Show 15 (second generation), Echo Show 21 (second generation), and Echo Hub
• Apple HomePod (2nd generation)
• Apple HomePod Mini
• Apple TV 4K (2nd and 3rd generation with Wi-Fi + Ethernet)
• Google Nest Hub (2nd generation)
• Google Nest Hub Max
• Google Nest Wifi and Nest Wifi Pro
• Google TV 4K Streamer
• Samsung SmartThings Station, Hub v3 and Hub dongle
• Samsung Smart TVs (CU8000, CU7000, NEO QLED 8K and 4K)
• Aqara Smart Hub M3
• Home Pro

A Brief History of Yarn

Originally developed by Nest (before the Google acquisition), Thread has been around since 2011. Designed as an energy-efficient mesh networking technology for Internet of Things (IoT) products, Thread gained momentum after the 2014 creation of the Thread Group, which develops the technology and drives its adoption as an industry standard. Founding members like ARM, Samsung, Google and Qualcomm have been joined by Apple, Amazon and many other major companies over the years.

The Thread specification is available for free, but there is an End User License Agreement (EULA) for adopters. Thread has evolved, with new versions and features rolling out every two years. New versions are backwards compatible, so new devices can work alongside old ones. Sometimes older Thread devices can be upgraded to the latest version, but not always.

The latest version, Thread 1.4, landed in 2024, bringing credential sharing, which allows networks formed in different ecosystems (such as Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa) and different Thread Border routers to form a single large mesh, instead of multiple separate meshes. Unfortunately, although the Thread 1.4 specification is available, it takes some time for manufacturers to adopt it and go through certification.

To learn more about Thread, visit the official Thread Group website.

How does the thread work with the material?

Thread is what allows devices to connect to each other, and Matter is the language they use to communicate. Thread supports various application layers, like Matter, which sit on top. It can even support multiple application layers simultaneously. Matter uses Thread, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet for device connectivity. If the device is battery powered and bandwidth requirements are low, it will choose Thread. For high-bandwidth, always-on (plugged in) devices (like security cameras), it will choose Wi-Fi. Matter also uses Bluetooth LE for initial setup of some devices. You can find out more in my Matter guide.

Discussion against Zigbee

Zigbee has been around longer than Thread and is based on the same wireless technology. It can also create robust mesh networks, offers secure encryption, and is ideal for low-power devices. Since Zigbee has its own application and network layers, it requires a proprietary hub that acts as a gateway for connections, while Thread is IPv6, so it can integrate seamlessly with existing IP networks through any Thread Border router. Thread also has lower latency than Zigbee, so smart home devices respond faster.

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