Apple enthusiasts and smart home aficionados have reason to celebrate as the tech giant rolls out iOS 18.4, featuring significant enhancements that cater specifically to robot vacuum owners. This update, released on Monday, introduces support for controlling robot vacuums using the Apple Home app through the Matter protocol, a development anticipated since its announcement at WWDC 2024. The new feature is poised to simplify the integration of robovacs into users’ smart home ecosystems, delivering easier and more versatile management via Apple devices such as the iPhone, Apple Watch, HomePod, and iPad.
Roborock, a major player in the robot vacuum market, has promptly responded to iOS 18.4, announcing firmware updates to ensure its devices are fully compatible with Apple Home. This update, as highlighted in a company press release, promises enhanced implementation of the Matter protocol across several of its premium models, including the S8 MaxV Ultra, Saros Z70, Saros 10, Saros 10R, Qrevo Curv, Qrevo Edge, and Qrevo Master. These updates are set to roll out between April 1st and April 10th. Roborock continues to expand Matter compatibility further, with plans to update additional models, such as the S8 Max Ultra and Qrevo Slim, in the coming weeks and months.
In the realm of robotic cleaning, interoperability has long been a challenge, often requiring users to juggle between multiple apps. The introduction of Matter support aims to create a seamless, platform-agnostic environment. This sentiment is echoed across the smart home industry, where companies like iRobot and Ecovacs are also embracing these updates. iRobot’s Roomba Combo 10 Max robot, launched last August, is slated to be its first to comply with the Matter protocol and will fully integrate into the Apple Home ecosystem. This advancement allows users to initiate, halt, and schedule cleaning tasks through the Home app or via Siri voice commands.
Ecovacs is not far behind, with several of its popular models, including the Deebot X2, X2 Combo, T50, T50 Max, and X8, beginning to receive Matter 1.4 firmware updates starting today. “Our phased rollout ensures a smoother transition for users,” explained Michelle Jones, Ecovacs’ Associate Brand Marketing Director, in an email to The Verge.
While the current support focuses on fundamental operations like power control, mode switching between vacuum and mop, and room-specific cleaning schedules, it’s important to note that advanced features such as mapping and configuring no-go zones remain exclusive to each manufacturer’s app. This limitation is largely due to Matter’s initial emphasis on fostering basic interoperability, a pursuit likely to evolve as the protocol matures.
The inclusion of these updates underscores an exciting shift towards increased compatibility and ease of use in smart home devices. The direction set by Apple with iOS 18.4 signals a potentially transformative step in how users interact with their home technology, promising a future where different manufacturers’ devices work seamlessly together. As these updates begin to roll out, robot vacuum owners can look forward to an enhanced, more integrated cleaning experience that aligns with their broader smart home ecosystem.
Original Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/640059/apple-ios-update-matter-robot-vacuum-roborock-irobot-ecovacs
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Publish Date: 2025-04-01 03:11:00
