The four changes in Thread 1.4 that could fix the protocol

Thread 1.4 has officially been released, bringing much-needed fixes for the nascent smart home protocol. Chief among these is a solution to the problem of Thread border router interoperability. The new spec also enables better connectivity by leveraging Wi-Fi and ethernet alongside Thread, makes it easier to see what's going on in your Thread network to simplify troubleshooting, and allows manufacturers to connect devices directly to the internet. 

These updates were announced at CES earlier this year, and today, Thread Group is launching the Thread 1.4 specification and certification program. This means manufacturers can start to implement the upgrades to the spec into their devices.

However, the certification process will take some time, and then devices need to be updated - so we probably won't see the benefits of these updates in our homes until the beginning of next year. "My hope is that by CES, we'll see support for Thread 1.4 and border routers," Sujata Neidig, vice president of marketing for Thread and director of marketing at NXP, told The Verge.

A low-power, mesh networking IP-based protocol design for IOT, Thread was developed over a decade ago. Both Google (Nest) and Apple have used it in their smart home ecosystems for several years, but it has recently gained broader attention as one of two wireless protocols used by the new smart home standard Matter. 

Thread is the communication layer, and it requires an application layer on top - Apple's HomeKit over Thread, Google's Weave over Thread, and Matter over Thread. Despite its reputation for low latency and excellent battery life, the deployment of Matter over Thread has stumbled since Matter's launch two years ago. Compatibility issues have frustrated users who were promised that Matter devices would "just work." Additionally, I've heard from multiple manufacturers about issues optimizing Thread connectivity on their devices when using Matter. 

While Google and Apple have closed ecosystems for their Thread products, Matter comprises multiple devices, platforms, and apps. This broader landscape has caused confusion for both users and manufacturers of Thread devices, and Thread Group acknowledges the protocol has had some growing pains. 

The fixes coming with 1.4 are based on learnings from this larger deployment. "Thread 1.4 represents our first strategic response to real-world use cases," said Vividh Siddha, president of Thread Group and director of software engineering at Apple.