How the Matter 1.5 update and Samsung’s move shift the smart home landscape
For the first time in the smart home standard’s history, cameras are becoming a true cross-brand, interoperable category, and Samsung’s SmartThings platform is at the forefront of that change. In December 2025, SmartThings announced it now supports Matter 1.5, making it the first major smart home ecosystem to enable Matter-compatible cameras on its platform.
That may sound technical, but it’s a meaningful milestone for smart home owners, and especially relevant if you use multiple ecosystems, or run something like Home Assistant alongside SmartThings.
What changed with Matter 1.5
The Matter standard, developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), was originally released to make devices from different brands work together without separate bridges and apps. Matter version 1.5, published in November 2025, expands the standard significantly.
Up until now, Matter primarily covered lights, switches, plugs, locks, and sensors. Matter 1.5 adds native camera support, including features such as:
- live video streaming
- two-way communication
- motion detection
- event history
- pan-tilt-zoom controls
- support for indoor and outdoor cameras and video doorbells
Matter 1.5 also enhances support for closures (things like garage doors and blinds) and energy management, but the camera support is the headline.
Why Samsung SmartThings leading matters
SmartThings’ Matter 1.5 rollout means one big thing: camera makers now have a clear path to launch Matter cameras that integrate across ecosystems without proprietary APIs or complex developer requirements. Samsung has said it’s working with partners such as Aqara, Eve and Ulticam to bring Matter-compatible cameras to market in early 2026.
This matters for a few reasons:
1) Cameras were the missing link for Matter interoperability
Matter’s original 1.0–1.4 specs covered many basic device types, but cameras were notably absent because of technical complexity and high data needs. Now that the standard finally includes cameras, you can expect them to become a true cross-brand device category rather than devices stuck in a single ecosystem app.
2) Samsung’s position accelerates adoption
SmartThings claims to support Matter before other major platforms, giving it a first-mover advantage. When one ecosystem embraces a new device category early, camera vendors are more likely to prioritise certification and launch products compatible with it.
3) More choice for users
With Matter cameras in the mix, users will no longer be limited to specific brand ecosystems (like Apple HomeKit-only or Google-only cameras) if they want integrated video security. SmartThings users can already mix devices from Ring, Arlo, Hue and more, and Matter adds even more flexibility.
What this means for Home Assistant and cross-brand setups
If you run a Home Assistant smart home, this change is another step toward a true platform-agnostic ecosystem:
- Matter means mixed ecosystems can work together
Matter cameras that integrate with SmartThings should also work with other controllers that support Matter 1.5, including Home Assistant (assuming the controller and integrations in Home Assistant support that version of the standard). - No more siloed security cameras
Before Matter 1.5, cameras tended to be siloed behind brand apps or propriety cloud services. With Matter, you choose a camera once and then use it with any controller that supports the standard. - Local control remains possible
Home Assistant emphasises local control where practical. Matter itself doesn’t require cloud services to function, which aligns with Home Assistant’s philosophy and makes it feasible to include cameras in local automation without major dependency on internet services. - More automation options
When cameras are part of the interoperable Matter ecosystem, you can link them to automations across platforms, for example, motion detected by a Matter camera could trigger actions regardless of the hub you use.
Why this shift matters in 2026
2026 looks set to be a formative year for smart home security and interoperability:
- Cameras everywhere: With Matter 1.5 rolling out in SmartThings and other platforms likely to follow, security cameras and video doorbells may finally become first-class citizens in interoperable smart homes.
- Simpler developer requirements: Camera makers can build to one standard and unlock access to many ecosystems, lowering the barriers to entry.
- More user choice: Homeowners won’t need to choose between ecosystems just to get their cameras talking to everything else.
This is one of those moments where a standard update really changes what’s practical for everyday users, not just developers and engineers.