The Connectivity Standards Alliance has introduced Matter 1.5.1, the newest update to the Matter specification. This incremental release brings key enhancements that simplify development for device manufacturers, especially for cameras and doorbells, while enabling devices and ecosystems to provide more efficient, flexible user experiences.
Matter 1.5 introduced support for cameras and video doorbells, an important milestone for the smart home. Version 1.5.1 builds on that foundation with targeted enhancements and fixes that improve streaming efficiency, expand media capabilities, add flexibility for more user installation setups, and refine related device types such as chimes and intercoms.
More Efficient Camera Streaming
One of the most significant enhancements in Matter 1.5.1 is support for multi-stream video and audio delivery.
Previously, when multiple users or services needed access to a camera feed, such as viewers on different devices or analysis services within an ecosystem, multiple independent streams might need to be established to accommodate each device or task’s capabilities. With the new multi-stream capability, a camera can deliver multiple optimized streams simultaneously.
This allows cameras and ecosystems to efficiently provide different video qualities for different use cases, for example:
- A high-resolution stream for recording or storage
- A lower-resolution stream optimized for mobile viewing
- A stream suitable for video analysis or AI processing
- Multiple streams from multi-lens cameras
By enabling cameras to deliver multiple streams in a single structured session, Matter 1.5.1 helps reduce bandwidth overhead, simplify integrations, and improve reliability when multiple viewers or services access the same camera.
Expanded Media Format Support
Matter 1.5.1 also expands support for modern media formats used in camera systems.
Snapshot images can now be delivered using the HEIC image codec, which provides improved image quality at smaller file sizes compared to JPEG. This helps reduce bandwidth and storage requirements while preserving detail in captured images.
For recorded video, the specification adds full support for HLS and DASH streaming upload using the CMAF Interface-2 profile, enabling greater compatibility with the streaming technologies widely used by modern cloud and media platforms.
Together, these enhancements make it easier for device makers and ecosystems to deliver high-quality viewing experiences while optimizing network and storage usage.
Improved Camera Operation and Reliability
Several updates in the release focus on improving the reliability and flexibility of camera deployments.
Updates to pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) behavior provide greater flexibility for camera positioning and movement, including improvements that better support installations where the camera’s “home” position may be at the edge of its rotation range.
The specification also includes fixes to recording configuration validation to prevent certain invalid recording setups, improving robustness and helping ensure more predictable operation across different platforms and implementations.
Enhancements for Doorbells, Chimes, and Intercom Devices
Matter 1.5.1 also includes refinements to device types commonly used alongside cameras and doorbells.
Doorbell device types receive quality improvements and bug fixes that further stabilize interoperability.
Chime devices gain additional flexibility, including the ability for controllers to request a specific chime sound rather than only triggering the default. This enables richer experiences such as:
- Playing different chimes depending on which doorbell is pressed
- Triggering seasonal or contextual sounds
- Supporting automations based on when a chime begins playing
Finally, updates to the Intercom device type clarify requirements around signaling and add support for integrated chimes, helping ensure intercom devices behave consistently across ecosystems.
Continuing to Improve the Matter Ecosystem
As with any maintenance release, Matter 1.5.1 also includes a number of editorial clarifications, bug fixes, and specification refinements, many focused on the newly introduced camera functionality from the 1.5 release.
These improvements help strengthen interoperability and ensure that the rapidly expanding set of Matter-enabled devices continues to deliver reliable experiences across platforms.
With each update, Matter continues to mature as the industry’s foundation for interoperable smart home devices—making it easier for manufacturers to build innovative products and for users to enjoy a simpler, more reliable connected home.
To learn more, explore the latest enhancements in the Matter 1.5.1 specification and how they improve device performance and flexibility here.
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