Matter 1.6: Why Joint Fabric Could Change Apple Home

Matter 1.6: An Infrastructure Update, Not a Showcase

Matter was created to enable a certified device to work with multiple home automation platforms. In theory, a Matter light bulb, outlet, or thermostat can be added to Apple Home and then shared with Google Home, Alexa, or SmartThings.

In practice, the experience is still far from perfect. Multi-admin sharing already exists, but it relies on separate fabrics. In Matter terminology, a fabric is a trusted network between a device and the controllers that manage it. Apple Home has its own fabric, Google Home has its own, and so does Alexa.

Matter 1.4 had already introduced Enhanced Multi-Admin, a significant improvement designed to facilitate the automatic creation of separate fabrics following a single user consent. Matter 1.6 goes further: it offers a shared fabric from the start, managed by multiple authorized controllers.

This is more of an architectural change than a cosmetic one.

Joint Fabric: One Smart Home, Multiple Administrators

The most important feature of Matter 1.6 is Joint Fabric. Instead of creating multiple separate fabrics for each ecosystem, Joint Fabric allows multiple authorized controllers to co-administer a single shared fabric.

In practice, a device added to this shared fabric can become visible to participating platforms without having to be manually reassociated with each ecosystem. Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, and SmartThings no longer operate as completely separate silos: they can participate in a shared structure, with shared administrative rights.

For the user, the benefit is very simple:

• a device added once can be available on multiple platforms;
• one household member on an iPhone and another on Android can control the same accessories more easily;
• administrators can be added or removed without having to reset each device;
• participation in this shared fabric counts as a single fabric from the accessory’s perspective.

This last point is very important. The Matter specification requires a minimum of 5 fabric slots per device. This number may seem ample, but it fills up quickly as soon as a single accessory is shared across multiple platforms. In the Apple ecosystem, the situation is even more unique: Apple also uses iCloud Keychain to manage Matter accessories and their keys, which can create a system fabric distinct from the Apple Home fabric. As a result, an Apple user may lose some of their available capacity before even adding Google Home, Alexa, or SmartThings.

This is precisely what Joint Fabric aims to simplify.

What Joint Fabric Doesn’t Do

Joint Fabric doesn’t mean that all home automation apps will merge into a single interface. Apple Home will remain Apple Home, Google Home will remain Google Home, and each platform will retain its own interface options, automations, limitations, and integrations.

Nor should one assume that Joint Fabric will instantly eliminate all Matter-related issues. The feature creates a common foundation for better device sharing, but it will need to be properly implemented by platforms, manufacturers, and apps. Current issues with persistent or improperly revoked fabrics—sometimes referred to as “orphan fabrics”—will also need to be better managed to ensure the feature works reliably in real-world setups.

Joint Fabric is therefore a major step forward, but not a magic wand.

Why This Is Important for Apple Home

Apple has already made a significant transition with its new Apple Home architecture. Support for the previous version of Apple Home officially ended on February 10, 2026. Since then, modern features have relied more heavily on home hubs: HomePod, HomePod mini, and Apple TV. Apple notes in particular that a hub is required to share home control and receive notifications, and that the iPad is no longer supported as a hub in the new architecture.

This architecture is more robust for automations, access sharing, and remote management. But it’s still designed around the Apple ecosystem. Matter 1.6 is moving in a different direction: a smart home where multiple major platforms can work together without the user having to manage the technical details.

For Apple, Joint Fabric is therefore both an opportunity and a challenge.

The opportunity is clear: Apple Home could become more practical in households where not everyone uses an iPhone. A family could keep Apple Home as their primary interface, while allowing another member to control the same accessories via Google Home or Alexa. To understand the distinction between the Apple Home platform and the legacy HomeKit, our guide on the difference between Apple Home and HomeKit remains a good reference point.

The challenge is more complex: Apple will need to integrate this shared ecosystem without compromising its security model, iCloud synchronization, and access controls. And Apple isn’t the only player involved. At this stage, no clear timeline for widespread implementation has been announced by the major platforms. Until Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and accessory manufacturers have enabled these features in their products, Matter 1.6 remains a available specification, not a guaranteed experience in the Home app.

NFC Becomes a True Matter Configuration Channel

NFC setup deserves a precise explanation. Matter 1.6 isn’t starting from scratch: previous versions had already introduced NFC use cases to facilitate onboarding, notably as a more convenient alternative to QR codes. But these initial approaches did not completely replace Bluetooth Low Energy during the commissioning phase.

With Matter 1.6, the CSA is highlighting full commissioning via bidirectional NFC. In other words, the smartphone no longer simply reads a tag containing initial information. It can exchange the data necessary for commissioning more comprehensively with the accessory.

This is the key point: certain devices can be prepared before installation or their first power-up. In this scenario, the device remains powered off; only the NFC chip is powered by the smartphone’s field, stores the configuration keys, and the device retrieves them upon its first startup.

For the user, the benefit is very tangible. This makes a big difference for:

• wall switches before they are installed;
• recessed light fixtures before installation;
• sensors still in their packaging;
• equipment prepared in batches for an apartment, a hotel, or a construction site.

For Apple, this is very interesting. The iPhone is already an excellent NFC tool for other everyday uses. In a smart home, this approach could transform the installation of Matter accessories into an experience closer to “tap to pair” than the sometimes cumbersome QR code + Bluetooth process.

Components like STMicroelectronics’ ST25DA-C also show that hardware is starting to catch up. ST markets it as a secure NFC component designed for Matter commissioning, capable of storing keys and participating in cryptographic operations related to setup. This is the kind of hardware building block needed for Matter’s NFC promise to truly become visible in products.

Thermostats Are Becoming Less “Dumb”

Matter 1.6 also introduces Thermostat Suggestions, a less visible but very useful enhancement.

Today, an automation can send a direct command to a thermostat: set the temperature to 20 °C, activate a mode, or change a setpoint. The problem is that this command can conflict with the user’s recent settings or the thermostat’s internal schedule.

With Matter 1.6, the platform can send a temporary suggestion rather than a blind command. The thermostat can then evaluate it based on its context: recent preferences, current mode, local setpoint, current temperature, or built-in schedule.

In Apple Home, this could reduce certain annoying behaviors: a Siri routine that changes the heating when the user has just adjusted it manually, an automation that contradicts the thermostat, or two systems responding to each other without thinking.

This change gives more responsibility to the device itself. The thermostat is no longer just an executor—it becomes the final arbiter of what is appropriate.

Security: Matter 1.6 Arrives with Product Security 1.1

The CSA also announced Product Security 1.1 alongside Matter 1.6. This program addresses not only home automation compatibility but also the security of connected products.

The key difference is the expanded scope. Whereas certification may focus on a single device, Product Security 1.1 takes a broader view of IoT systems: accessories, apps, gateways, and remote processes. For manufacturers, this can simplify compliance with multiple international regulatory frameworks.

For Apple users, this aligns with a key expectation: a smart home should be convenient, but it shouldn’t become a collection of vulnerable devices. Matter doesn’t solve everything, but the progress of security certification is a step in the right direction.

What to Keep in Mind Before Buying a Matter Accessory

Matter 1.6 is promising, but it shouldn’t be confused with immediate availability across all products.

Before buying an accessory with Joint Fabric or NFC setup in mind, it’s best to check three things:

1. Does the manufacturer explicitly state support for Matter 1.6?
2. Will the accessory receive a firmware update?
3. Have Apple, Google, Amazon, or Samsung enabled the feature on their platforms?

For Apple Home users, the best advice is still to prioritize Matter accessories from brands that actively support their products, keep a recent Apple hub at home, and stay on top of iOS, tvOS, and HomePod updates.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a Matter feature may be technically included in the specification without being immediately available in the app you use every day. This is especially true for cross-ecosystem features, which require coordination among several competing players.