Apple and Google have updated their smart home streaming devices to Thread 1.4, the latest version of the connectivity protocol that underpins the Matter interoperability standard. As of June 2026, the update has arrived on compatible Apple TVs via the tvOS 27 developer beta and on the Google TV Streamer through a software update, as first spotted by Matter Alpha and 9to5 Google.
Both devices function as Thread Border Routers — hardware that manages connections between Thread-enabled smart home devices and the broader network. Thread 1.4, introduced as a specification in 2024, established a standardized method for border routers to share network credentials, allowing new devices to join an existing Thread network rather than creating separate ones. The update brings that capability to Apple and Google’s streaming hardware, which could simplify setup for users, manufacturers, and ecosystems alike.
Full functionality is not yet available. On the Google TV Streamer, a QR code option for joining a Thread network is present but has not been confirmed to work. On Apple’s side, Thread 1.4 is detectable via DNS discovery tools, but no credential-sharing options appear in the current iOS or tvOS 27 developer betas. HomePod Software 27 has no developer beta yet, leaving Apple’s smart speakers without the update. Google’s Nest Hubs also have not received a Thread 1.4 update.
Samsung added Thread 1.4 credential-sharing support to its SmartThings hubs in October 2025, and Ikea’s Dirigera hub already supports the spec. Amazon has said it will update its smart speakers to Thread 1.4 this year, which would bring all major smart home ecosystems onto the same version of the protocol.
Once that happens, the shared credential standard could allow the fragmented Thread networks that currently exist across different ecosystems to operate more cohesively, potentially improving the reliability and simplicity of Matter-based smart homes.
Source: The Verge