News + Trends
Zigbee 4.0 presented: The smart home protocol gets more range
by Debora Pape
Update for Matter: Version 1.5 brings camera support and more
21.11.2025
Translation: machine translated
Matter 1.5 brings many innovations for the smart home. In addition to the integration of cameras, Matter now offers new functions for locking systems, garage doors and energy management. Device categories such as floor sensors and irrigation systems can also be integrated in future.
Just a few days after announcing the Zigbee update to version 4.0, the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) is already bringing the next good news: The smarthome standard Matter is now available in version 1.5. This means that cameras and irrigation systems can now also be integrated into the smart home via Matter. This is the biggest leap in functionality since the introduction of Matter. The first devices could be certified in the coming months.
Matter has only been officially available for three years. More and more Matter-compatible light sources are already appearing in the smart lighting sector. With version 1.5, the CSA is closing key gaps and promoting the establishment of Matter as a universal standard for the smart home.
Cameras as a new device category
The most important new feature is probably the native support of cameras. This allows indoor and outdoor cameras as well as video doorbells to be integrated via Matter. The first Matter-enabled cameras are expected to come onto the market in the coming months.
Matter now natively supports live streams for image and sound via WebRTC (Real-Time Communication, a web technology that also enables two-way communication), and multiple simultaneous video streams are also possible. Panning, tilting and zooming as well as defining zones in the camera section is also possible using Matter.
Additional functions such as managing video recordings and AI features are still tied to the manufacturer's platform, however.
Closing systems, energy management and plant irrigation
Matter 1.5 brings new control commands for electronic locks, garage doors, blinds and similar systems. They can now be operated in a standardised way and can send more precise status messages.
In the area of energy management, Matter now supports dynamic electricity tariffs that are based on current grid loads. Real-time data from your electricity supplier is also used for this and you can, for example, specify that devices with high power consumption only run at times with low grid utilisation. The integration of energy measuring devices has also been improved. All in all, the update allows you to reduce your electricity costs.
The CSA has also thought about your plants: the new version integrates soil sensors and irrigation systems into the standard. This means you can implement automatic plant irrigation via Matter.
Header image: Shutterstock/thinkhubstudio
Feels just as comfortable in front of a gaming PC as she does in a hammock in the garden. Likes the Roman Empire, container ships and science fiction books. Focuses mostly on unearthing news stories about IT and smart products.
News + Trends
From the latest iPhone to the return of 80s fashion. The editorial team will help you make sense of it all.
Show all
