The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) officially announced the latest version of the Matter smart home communication protocol—Matter 1.5—during its November Member Meeting held in Barcelona, Spain. This new version significantly enhances interoperability and energy-management capabilities across the global smart home ecosystem. Matter 1.5 expands device support to include cameras, door locks, soil sensors, and new energy-management applications. It also introduces a redesigned energy-management framework that streamlines smart home development, strengthens cross-brand interoperability, and further improves user experience and system performance.
Following the release of Matter 1.5, Allion Labs—an authorized Matter Test Lab (ATL) accredited by the CSA—continues to deliver end-to-end certification and professional consulting services. Working in close partnership with the CSA, Allion actively supports advancements in product capabilities and user experience. As the Matter ecosystem expands, Allion remains committed to helping clients enhance the reliability and long-term value of their smart home solutions.
Five Key Highlights of Matter 1.5
Expanded Support for Cameras
- Added a camera category for Matter ecosystem integration.
- Uses WebRTC technology for live streaming, supporting two-way communication, and both local and remote access.
- Supports multi-stream configurations, pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) controls, detection and privacy zones, and flexible storage (local or cloud).
Enhanced Support for Closures
- Unified device architecture, including a wide range of devices such as window shades, drapes, awnings, gates, and garage doors.
- Modular design simplifies development and supports multiple motion types (e.g., sliding, rotating, opening) and configurations (e.g., single or dual panels, nested mechanisms).
- Provides consistent and flexible control with precise position feedback to enhance safety.
Soil Sensors for Smart Water Management
- Added soil moisture sensing, with optional temperature measurement.
- Can integrate with irrigation systems for automated watering, saving water and improve plant health.
Advanced Energy Management
- New capabilities for energy management, enabling devices to exchange standardized information on energy pricing, tariffs, and grid carbon intensity.
- Supports sharing real-time and forecasted pricing, tariff, and carbon data from utilities, grid operators, and energy services in a Matter-defined format.
- Enables intelligent control of devices, with cost and carbon impact estimation.
- Enhanced smart meters handle complex tariffs and provide historical usage data.
- Added EV charging support with SOC reporting and bidirectional charging, compliant with upcoming EU regulations.
Improved Data Transport
- Added TCP transmission to improve large data transfer efficiency.
- Suitable for high-bandwidth scenarios such as cameras, firmware updates, and video streaming.
Advancing Smart Home Experiences for Both Developers and End Users
Each new Matter release focuses on enhancing the security, localization, and reliable interoperability of connected devices. Building on this foundation, Matter 1.5 further expands the possibilities of smart homes. For device manufacturers, the new features not only simplify cross-category development and reduce the need for custom integration, but also open up new opportunities for product innovation. Combined with the quality improvements from versions 1.4.1 and 1.4.2, developers are provided with a more stable foundation and broader product development directions.
For consumers, Matter 1.5 offers extensive device options, intuitive setup, and reliable cross-brand interoperability. It enables products to work seamlessly in real-world scenarios such as energy and water management, home and environmental control, fostering a connected, integrated smart home experience.