Firmware updates have been the weakest link for a decade with smart homes. Every sensor, light bulb, and smart lock runs software that should be updated regularly. Homey just announced a fix for a big piece of that, and the way it handles Matter devices is the part that Apple Home users should take note of.

Homey’s new Device Updates feature lets you update Matter, Z-Wave, and Zigbee devices directly from the Homey Mobile App or Web App. You can update a Matter light, install a security patch for a Z-Wave lock, or improve a Zigbee sensor’s reliability, all without ever opening a manufacturer’s app. The launch list of supported vendors is already pretty solid: IKEA, Aeotec, INNR, Niko, Inovelli, Zooz, frient, Third Reality, Eco Dim, Heat It, Namron, amina, CT M Lyng, and Nous have added support, with more to come soon.

For Matter devices, Homey doesn’t rely on manufacturer apps at all. It checks the Connectivity Standards Alliance’s Distributed Compliance Ledger for available Matter firmware updates. The DCL provides the firmware version, download URL, file size, checksum, and applicability information. Homey then retrieves the firmware from the manufacturer-provided URL and delivers it to the device using Matter’s standardized OTA update mechanism. This means that the update path for Matter devices isn’t tied to any one company’s app or cloud service. It’s part of the actual Matter standard itself, verified by the certification body, and any Matter controller could implement it.

With Homey Pro and Homey Pro mini acting as Matter Controllers and Thread Border Routers, Matter-enabled Eve devices now work with Homey. That covers favorites like Eve Energy, Eve Door & Window, Eve Motion, Eve Thermo, Eve Weather, Eve Motion Blinds, and more.