China Moves to Mandate Smart-Home Interoperability
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A Midea Smart Life whole-house intelligence experience center in Beijing. Photo: VCG.
China is drafting mandatory national standards to force interoperability among smart home devices, a move aimed at dismantling the closed technological ecosystems that have long fragmented the consumer appliance market.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is leading the effort to draft the compulsory standard, according to Zhao Lei, a vice president at Midea Group and president of its smart home business group.
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- China is drafting mandatory national standards for smart home device interoperability to break down brand-specific “walled gardens.”
- Previous voluntary standards failed; the new rule aims to enable seamless device integration and support AI-driven automation in smart homes.
- The move is backed by major companies and policymakers, with the goal of increasing global influence, as China’s appliance sector produces about 70% of global appliances.
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Who’s Who
- Midea Group
- Midea Group is a prominent Chinese appliance maker advocating for interoperability in smart home devices. Their Vice President, Zhao Lei, leads the smart home business group, and Shang Zhe manages their whole-house intelligence division. Midea supports open ecosystems, allowing their devices to integrate with third-party voice assistants, and believes a national standard is crucial for the industry's growth and global influence.
- Amazon
- Amazon, alongside Google, Apple, and Samsung, was instrumental in developing the Matter standard between 2019 and 2022. This standard aimed to foster interoperability among smart home devices and break down barriers between major ecosystems like its own Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple's HomeKit.
- Google, alongside other tech giants like Amazon, Apple, and Samsung, was instrumental in developing the Matter standard between 2019 and 2022. This standard, launched in conjunction with the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), aimed to dismantle barriers between major smart home ecosystems such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit, enabling greater interoperability for smart home devices.
- Apple
- Apple collaborated with other tech giants like Amazon and Google to develop the Matter standard. Matter aimed to foster interoperability among smart home devices and break down barriers between major ecosystems such as Apple's HomeKit. Additionally, Midea devices support direct control through third-party smartphone voice assistants, including Apple's Siri.
- Samsung
- Samsung is mentioned in the context of the Matter standard. Along with Amazon, Google, and Apple, Samsung was one of the technology giants that developed the Matter standard in conjunction with the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA). This standard aimed to break down barriers between major smart home ecosystems.
- Huawei
- Huawei's "Xiaoyi" is mentioned as one of the third-party smartphone voice assistants through which Midea devices can be directly controlled. This highlights Huawei's presence in the smart home ecosystem with its voice assistant technology.
- Honor
- Honor is a company whose Yoyo smart assistant supports direct control of Midea devices. This indicates Honor's role within the larger smart home ecosystem in China, specifically concerning interoperability with other brands, aligning with the industry's move toward greater device communication and user convenience.
- Vivo
- Vivo is a Chinese technology company that produces smartphones and smart home devices. The article mentions that Vivo's "Xiao V" is a third-party smartphone voice assistant that Midea devices support for direct control. This indicates Vivo's participation in the smart home ecosystem through its voice assistant technology.
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What Happened When
- Between 2019 and 2022：
- The Matter smart home interoperability standard was launched overseas by Amazon, Google, Apple, Samsung, and the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), breaking down barriers between major ecosystems.
- 2021：
- A group standard for smart home device interoperability was introduced, but it was voluntary and failed to change the industry.
- 2024：
- An industry standard for smart home device interoperability was introduced, also voluntary and unsuccessful in breaking industry silos.
- February 2026：
- A recommended national standard for smart home device interoperability took effect, but it remained voluntary.
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