Hi everyone,
I'm developing a standalone Matter controller app on iOS 18+ using Apple's Matter.framework directly — without integrating with Apple Home or HomeKit. We manage our own Matter fabric and handle the full commissioning flow ourselves.
Current setup:
- BLE-based Matter device discovery and commissioning via Matter.framework
- Own fabric management (not adding devices to Apple Home)
- During development, we rely on the "Bluetooth Central Matter Client Developer Mode" profile to enable BLE access
The challenge: As we approach our App Store release, we need end users to be able to commission Matter devices without installing any developer profiles. I'm trying to figure out the correct entitlement path for a non-HomeKit Matter controller app in production.
Questions:
- Which entitlements are required for a third-party Matter controller app using Matter.framework directly (not via HomeKit) to work in production?
- Is there a formal entitlement request process for something like com.apple.developer.matter.allow-setup-payload? If so, where do we initiate it?
- Are there additional program memberships or certifications required beyond the standard Apple Developer Program membership?
We've gone through the Matter framework documentation and relevant WWDC sessions but haven't found a clear answer specifically for non-HomeKit standalone Matter controller apps.
Would appreciate any input from Apple staff or developers who've shipped a similar app. Happy to provide more details if needed.
Tagging for visibility: @Apple or relevant team — this involves a non-HomeKit Matter.framework usage pattern and entitlement approval process.