Amazon has become the first to add support for Matter casting, of which they are co-founders, to help users control TVs and streaming devices directly from a connected app, reports The Verge.
In an announcement at CES this week, the online retail and tech giant confirmed that Matter casting support will come to its Prime Video app so users can cast content to other Amazon hardware devices.
It is now available for the Echo Show 15, which is Amazon’s largest smart display, and also a Fire TV, but the company says support will soon be coming to Fire TVs, including Panasonic TVs with Fire TV built-in.
To use this feature, you simply open your Prime Video app on your phone or tablet, tap the cast button, and alongside the other casting options, you will now see the Echo Show 15 as a casting choice if you have one. More apps will be added for support in the coming year, including Plex, Sling TV, Starz, ZDF, and Pluto TV.
Amazon principle engineer Chris DeCenzo told The Verge: “We’ve been developing this over a few years, and we want to put Matter casting everywhere.”
What is Matter Casting?
Matter casting works in the same way as Apple’s AirPlay or Google’s Chromecast. Still, its primary USP is that it will be available to every app or hardware maker and will not be limited to a specific OS or exclusive partnerships.
Its goal is to essentially link all devices from all manufacturers via app-to-app communication and even voice control. It would allow users to control their televisions – changing the channels and volume and controlling inputs and outputs, for example – as well as other controllable devices within their homes, such as doorbells, lights, and heating, all via one protocol that allows all products to communicate using the same language.
This removes the current pain points consumers experience when using a variety of products from different manufacturers. For example, you can only cast Apple TV via Apple Airplay — and you can only check your Ring doorbell via Amazon devices or your smartphone or tablet. Matter aims to remove device-restricted casting and usage by linking everything together as one, meaning you could check your Ring doorbell on your smart TV, should you want to.
However, while Apple and Google have their own casting capabilities, there are currently no signs that they intend to implement Matter into their products.
De Cenzo told The Verge that it would be better for the entire industry if these companies were to get on board. “We believe in open standards because it simplifies things for developers,” he said.
