The good news is that SmartThings v3 hubs (now manufactured by Aeotec) and the $35 dongle for Samsung appliances equipped with SmartThings software hubs will be transformed into Thread border routers. “We collaborated with Silicon Labs to use software to run Zigbee and Thread on the same hardware chipset,” Jung says. “Once the software is released, SmartThings v3 hubs will support both Zigbee and Matter over Thread devices, as well as the dongle.”
This means that if you own a compatible Samsung smart TV or smart fridge and purchase the $35 dongle, you’ll have a SmartThings Matter controller with a Thread border router by the end of the month. Of course, there are no Matter devices to control just yet. However, with the standard’s release last week, we should see products begin to appear this year.
