Can I use a matter relay/relay from a 3rd party in my controller 2?

[Vini]

I purchased the Bosch system under the advertisement it is matter compatible. Can I integrate matter compatible relay/switch in it?

[Christopher]

No devices from other manufacturers can be integrated into Bosch. If you need a relay, only the Bosch relay works. 

[Vini]

That is just pure simple false advertisement... bosch has an entire web-page explaining all the benefits of matter and that their device is future proof.

In this page there is even a chapter named "Interoperability irrespective of the manufacturer".

The Bosch relay/switch costs 70Euros. A generic good one for respectful brands costs 20Euros.

I am tending to return everything I purchased from Bosch and start over.

[Christopher]

Bosch is compatible with Matter.

But only in one direction. You can learn Bosch in other Matter centers. 

[Vini]

Sure... but then I need two apps, maybe two stations. But each has only limited/partial functionalities over the devices. How "smart" that is? Dear Bosch, your business strategy of forcing consumers to buy overpriced devices will fail badly. If you are incapable of offering decent products for a reasonable cost, someone will, and they will stop buying your stuff. There are just too many other decent competitors.

[Maurice]

"Matter compatible" can mean many things, details matter (no pun intended).

If you want to make the Bosch Smart Home Controller the center of your smart home, you are mostly limited to Bosch Smart Home devices (with a few exceptions).

If you use a third party Matter controller, you can use whatever devices you want (including many Bosch devices).

You can like it or hate it, but that's how it works.

[Vini]

Definitely hate it. It is not how it should be based on their advertisement claims.

It is intriguing to me what interests are behind your responses. It sounds as you agree, accept and even support what Bosch does.

Bosch advertisement is, to say the least, deceiving for any person starting to install these things. They advertise matter compatible and non matter compatible devices under the umbrella. Together with amazing matter compatibility and future proof claims. I felt into the trap... now I am stuck with a bunch of radiators thermostats "non matter compatible", plus a controller 2 that is only partially matter compatible and still very buggy when trying to operate it through the Apple Home Kit.

[Maurice]

It is intriguing to me what interests are behind your responses.

Just stating the facts.

It sounds as you agree, accept and even support what Bosch does.

I would prefer if the Bosch Smart Home Controllers supported controlling third-party devices, but I bought into the system knowing they don't. It's a choice and a trade-off. Preferring a more open system like e. g. Home Assistant is understandable, absolutely.

While Bosch's claims regarding Matter are sometimes not as detailed as one might wish for, I can't see any false statements. For example, this official infographic shows only Bosch Smart Home devices connected to the SHC II:

Matter and Thread are pretty complex technologies. There are Matter controllers, Matter bridges, Thread border routers, Matter over Thread devices, Matter over WiFi devices, ... "Matter compatible" means a device supports some of these roles, but almost never all of them.

• The Smart Home Controller II is a Matter bridge, but neither a Matter controller nor a Thread border router.
• The [+M] devices support Matter over Thread.

[Vini]

If you have expertise with these systems, it maybe easy to read in between the lines. Myself, although I am an Electrical Engineer, but with zero expertise in this topic, I did fell into the trap. See below... this is also just directly from Bosch site. If this does not lead to wrong interpretations, I don't know what would.

[Maurice]

It's not easy even if you have some expertise. 😅

Yes, this admittedly is a very generic statement, which in the context of Bosch Smart Home could essentially mean two things:

• Bosch Smart Home devices can be controlled by third-party Matter controllers.
  This is absolutely true (for many, but not all devices), either by using the SHC II's Matter bridge functionality or by using [+M] devices with native Matter over Thread support.
• The Bosch Smart Home Controller can control third-party Matter devices.
  This is not the case and possibly never will.

[Vini]

I would have to know beforehand that a "matter bridge" is something very different from a "matter controller"... sure. Very clear. Yes, I missed that detail. But for me, this whole thing stills falls into the "false advertisement" category (for non experts at least).

[LikeAnalogOnly]

I fell into the same trap as you did. My intentions were to bring my existing OpenHAB Setup (which does work well with Google Home and Apple Home) into the Bosch Smart Home world to control it via Mercedes MBUX. But it is impossible. There is no way to control non-Bosch things from the Bosch Smart Home (although advertised via matter - interface) and therefore from the speech assistant from within the car. Two world leading analogue companies found together here. They don't leave a choice but to return the Bosch Smart Home controller II. Such a waste of time and resources...