ZemiSmart, a brand we’ve featured a fair bit in the last couple of years, looks set to release a new product that shows its commitment to both Matter and Thread with a forthcoming hub that appears to have passed Matter certification, as is evidenced by its listing on the CSA (Connectivity Standards Alliance) website.
The information we have so far on the new Zemimart M1 Hub is that it uses Zigbee to allow certified ZemiSmart (and possibly Tuya) Zigbee devices to be exposed to Matter. It also contains a Thread Border Router for Thread devices, even though the company only have one Matter over Thread device on their books at present, namely their new Curtain motor and track system. It’s also a Matter-compatible hub of course, although it’s unclear if it’ll also act as a Matter controller.
Like their current HomeKit-compatible Zigbee gateway, this will only connect via ethernet, for a wired connection, so no WiFi option is available, but as it’s Matter compatible, in theory, it shouldn’t require the Tuya app, although it may still be required in order to add devices to the hub, as is the case with other Matter compatible hubs including Aqara’s M2, for example. It should still have the ability to add the gateway directly to your Matter ecosystem of choice – Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings, Google Home, or Amazon Alexa, although it should be noted that at the time of writing, neither Google nor Amazon currently supports Matter hubs.
There’s no hint of a price right now, but given the vastly improved connection options compared to the current hub, it’s likely to be more expensive. You can check out our latest video of one of ZemiSmart’s first Matter over WiFi devices, the Smart Roller Shade Motor.