The Connectivity Standards Alliance has released Matter 1.5, expanding the standard with additional high-impact device categories and use cases, including support for cameras, closures, soil sensors and energy management capabilities.

Following the quality-focused Matter 1.4.1 and 1.4.2 updates released earlier this year, which delivered improvements to testing, certification and developer tooling, Matter 1.5 marks the next major functional expansion of the standard. The release adds a number of the most requested device types and features, enabling manufacturers and ecosystems to develop, support and certify these experiences.

These additions and enhancements reflect the ongoing collaboration among CSA members to make Matter broader and stronger, expanding into more device categories while continuing to refine the foundation that makes the standard secure, reliable and easy to develop against.

Matter 1.5 introduces one of the most anticipated additions to the specification: cameras. Developers can now build and certify cameras that interoperate directly with Matter-enabled ecosystems, without the need for custom APIs or integrations.

Matter cameras support live video and audio streaming using established WebRTC technology, enabling two-way communications and both local and remote access via standard Stun and Turn protocols. The specification also defines support for multi-stream configurations, pan-tilt-zoom controls, detection and privacy zones, and flexible storage options, including continuous or event-based recording to local or cloud destinations. 

This latest release enables device makers to build cameras that offer Matter-based interoperability without limiting their ability to innovate through their own apps and services, while providing consumers with flexibility to combine a diverse range of camera types and price points into a coordinated home experience.

Building on prior releases, 1.5 introduces a revamped and unified approach to closures, covering a broad range of devices such as window shades, drapes, awnings, gates and garage doors. Through a simplified, modular cluster design, manufacturers can represent different motion types such as sliding, rotating and opening, and configurations such as single or dual panels, and nested mechanisms using a small set of building blocks.

This approach reduces development complexity and enables broader product differentiation, from basic blinds to sophisticated smart windows. For consumers, it means more consistent and flexible control of closures across apps and ecosystems, improved safety and security through precise position reporting, and enabling the key smart home use case of “did I remember to close the garage or lock the door” to a diversity of devices and types of homes.

Matter 1.5 extends the standard’s reach into new garden and plant-care use cases with support for soil sensors. These devices can measure moisture and, optionally, temperature to help users maintain optimal conditions for indoor plants, gardens and lawns. When combined with Matter-based water valves or irrigation systems, soil sensors can be used in automating watering intelligently, helping conserve water and improve plant health.

Building on the groundwork laid in earlier versions, Matter 1.5 introduces capabilities for energy management, enabling devices to exchange standardised information about energy pricing, tariffs and grid carbon intensity.

The new electrical energy tariff device type allows data from utilities, grid operators and energy services on real-time and forecasted pricing, tariff and carbon data to be shared with devices in a Matter-defined format. Devices can use these data to estimate and report their true energy costs and carbon impact, or to adjust their operation automatically based on user preferences, tariff schedules or regulatory requirements. This also allows real-time or predictive data from energy-producing devices, such as home solar systems, to be incorporated into household energy management and optimisation.

Enhanced smart metering support improves how devices measure and report power usage, with the ability to handle complex, time-varying tariffs and provide historical data for more accurate cost and consumption tracking. The specification also adds the ability for utilities to communicate grid connection details and power limits, allowing more coordinated demand management and compliance with regional energy regulations.

Finally, EV charging enhancements make features such as state-of-charge reporting and bi-directional charging certifiable under Matter, supporting upcoming requirements in markets such as the EU and preparing homes for future vehicle-to-grid and energy-sharing scenarios.

Together, these updates strengthen Matter’s role in enabling secure, standardised communications between smart home devices, utilities and energy services, creating a consistent framework for more efficient, sustainable energy use.

Matter 1.5 adds full support for operation over TCP transport, enabling more efficient and reliable transmission of large data sets. This enhancement benefits high-bandwidth or data-intensive devices, including cameras, but also for use cases such as performing faster firmware updates or handling richer data types such as images. For developers and users, these enhancements allow for improved efficiency, performance and battery life.

Each release of Matter builds on the shared goal of making connected devices work better together, securely, locally and reliably. Matter 1.5 reinforces that foundation while continuing to expand what’s possible in the connected home.

For device makers, the new features should simplify development across major product categories, reduce the need for custom integrations and create opportunities to innovate on top of a proven standard. The continued quality work in 1.4.1 and 1.4.2, paired with this expansion, should give developers both a stronger base and broader horizons.

For consumers, the benefits include broader device choice, simpler setup and confidence that products from different brands can work together to support real-world use cases, from managing energy and water use to monitoring their home and surroundings.

The Matter 1.5 specification, SDK and test tools are available to CSA members. Device makers and platform developers are encouraged to explore the new capabilities, begin certification planning and work with their partners to deliver future interoperable smart home experiences.

Developers interested in learning more about these enhancements can access the Matter 1.5 specification documents at csa-iot.org/developer-resource/specifications-download-request/.