Apple and Google have added Thread 1.4 support

Two of the smart home industry’s biggest ecosystem players have taken a meaningful step toward resolving one of Matter’s most persistent interoperability problems, with Apple and Google both rolling out Thread 1.4 support to their respective streaming devices.

Thread 1.4 first arrived for compatible Apple TVs through the tvOS 27 developer beta, as spotted by Matter Alpha, while the Google TV Streamer received the same specification update via a separate software release, according to 9to5Google.

That specification update brings with it a standardised method for Thread Border Routers to share network credentials, addressing a capability that was originally meant to work seamlessly across ecosystems from the outset but failed to materialise in earlier versions of the protocol.

Border Routers are the devices that connect Thread-enabled smart home accessories to the broader network, and the longstanding problem has been that each ecosystem’s routers tended to create their own separate Thread networks rather than joining a single shared one, fragmenting connectivity across the home.

Credential sharing under Thread 1.4 addresses that by giving routers a common mechanism to join an existing network rather than spawn a new one, a process comparable in principle to sharing a Wi-Fi password between devices on the same connection.

Full implementation across both platforms remains in progress, with the Google TV Streamer’s QR code credential-sharing option not yet functioning reliably, and Apple’s tvOS 27 developer beta currently lacking any credential-sharing interface despite the device registering as Thread 1.4-capable on network discovery tools.

Samsung also added Thread 1.4 credential-sharing support to its SmartThings hubs in October 2025, and IKEA’s Dirigera hub already runs the updated specification, leaving Amazon as the remaining major holdout among the primary smart home ecosystems, though the company has stated it plans to bring Thread 1.4 support to compatible devices before the end of 2026.

Neither Apple nor Google has confirmed when stable Thread 1.4 credential sharing will reach end users beyond the current developer beta period.