Matter's latest update is about to transform how your smart cameras and doorbells work

The CSA has quietly released a new update to Matter, aimed at improving camera performance and giving smart home devices greater flexibility. The release builds on Matter 1.5, which arrived in November last year and introduced official support for security cameras and video doorbells.

The latest version, Matter 1.5.1, focuses on refining those capabilities with a range of performance improvements and bug fixes. These include better streaming efficiency, expanded media support and more adaptable installation options for camera-based devices.

One of the biggest upgrades is the introduction of multi-stream video and audio support. This means the best security cameras can now deliver several streams at once, such as a high-resolution feed for recording, a lower-resolution version for viewing on smartphones, and a separate stream designed for AI-powered image analysis.

The update also brings improvements to PTZ camera controls, allowing greater flexibility when positioning cameras. For example, installations where a camera’s home position sits at the edge of its rotation range are now better supported. Doorbells, chimes and intercom devices are also gaining new capabilities, including the ability for chime devices to play a specific ringtone when triggered by a Matter controller rather than simply using a default sound.

Another addition is expanded support for modern media formats used in camera systems. Snapshot images can now be delivered using the HEIC image codec, which offers higher image quality whilst keeping file sizes smaller than traditional JPEG images. This helps reduce bandwidth and storage demands without sacrificing image detail.