Apple and Google are rolling out Thread 1.4 support to their smart home streaming devices, marking a significant step toward solving one of the Matter ecosystem's most persistent pain points. The update, which arrived in Apple's tvOS 27 developer beta and through a software update for the Google TV Streamer, enables Thread credential sharing - a feature that should finally let these devices join existing Thread networks instead of creating competing ones. First spotted by Matter Alpha and 9to5Google, the move signals that the smart home industry is inching closer to the seamless interoperability it's been promising for years.
Apple and Google just pushed out what might be the most boring-sounding but genuinely important smart home update in months. Thread 1.4 support is now live on compatible Apple TV devices through the tvOS 27 developer beta and on the Google TV Streamer via a software update, as first reported by Matter Alpha and 9to5Google.
The real story here isn't the version number - it's what Thread 1.4 actually enables. For the first time, these devices can implement Thread credential sharing, which means they can finally join an existing Thread network in your home instead of spinning up their own competing network. If you've ever wondered why your smart bulbs sometimes go haywire when you add a new hub, this is exactly the problem the Thread Group has been trying to solve.
Thread is one of the connectivity protocols that Matter, the much-hyped smart home interoperability standard, runs on. When Matter launched with massive backing from Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung, the pitch was simple: all your smart home devices would just work together. But there was a catch. Thread Border Routers - the devices that bridge Thread networks to your home Wi-Fi - weren't playing nice with each other. Instead of coordinating, they were each creating their own separate Thread networks, causing devices to hop between networks and creating the exact fragmentation Matter was supposed to eliminate.
According to The Verge's previous reporting, this has been Matter's biggest operational headache since launch. The Thread Group acknowledged the problem and promised Thread 1.4 would fix it through credential sharing capabilities announced in early 2024.
Now we're seeing that promise materialize. Apple TV 4K models and the Google TV Streamer both function as Thread Border Routers, making them critical infrastructure for anyone building out a Matter-based smart home. With Thread 1.4, when you add one of these devices to your network, it should be able to detect and join your existing Thread network rather than starting fresh.
The implementation appears slightly different between the two companies. On Google TV Streamer, users now have access to a manual option to share Thread credentials, giving more direct control over network management. Apple's approach through tvOS 27 is still in developer beta, so the final user experience remains to be seen when it ships to the public.
This matters because Thread Border Routers have proliferated quickly. Beyond Apple TV and Google TV Streamer, devices like HomePod mini, Amazon Echo speakers, Samsung SmartThings hubs, and various other smart home controllers all serve this function. Before Thread 1.4, each one was potentially creating network conflicts.
The timing is notable too. Apple's tvOS 27 developer beta suggests a public release is still months away, likely arriving alongside iOS 27 in the fall. Google's faster deployment to the TV Streamer shows the company is prioritizing its smart home ambitions - the device launched in late 2024 specifically as a smart home hub, not just a streaming box.
For consumers who've invested in Matter-compatible devices, this update won't deliver flashy new features. But it should deliver something more valuable: reliability. Fewer phantom disconnections, more consistent device responses, and one less layer of networking complexity to troubleshoot when something goes wrong.
The smart home industry has overpromised and underdelivered for years. Thread 1.4 support is one of those rare updates that actually addresses a fundamental architecture problem rather than slapping on another feature. Whether it fully solves Thread Border Router conflicts in practice remains to be seen, but it's the most concrete progress on Matter interoperability we've seen since the standard launched.
Thread 1.4 support on Apple TV and Google TV Streamer represents tangible progress on one of Matter's most stubborn problems. The smart home ecosystem has been fragmented for so long that it's easy to be cynical about each new fix, but credential sharing addresses a real architectural flaw that's been causing network chaos since Matter launched. As these updates roll out and other manufacturers follow suit, the promise of truly interoperable smart homes gets a bit more realistic. The test will be whether it actually works when consumers have five different Thread Border Routers competing for attention in their homes.
