What’s Next for Matter — and Why It Matters for Smart Homes

A reflection on where the standard stands today, what future versions add, and why we built Telldus hub 2 for what is to come.

A few weeks ago, we wrote about why we like Matter — the open standard that is finally getting smart home devices from different manufacturers to work together. That article was about where we stand today.

This article is about where we are headed.

Matter is evolving rapidly. And every version that is rolled out says something about where the entire industry is headed. For Telldus, this is central — because that is where we are aiming.

A brief look back

Matter was launched in October 2022 by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA, formerly the Zigbee Alliance) together with Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, IKEA, and many others. The idea was to unite a fragmented industry: a Matter-certified device should work with any hub or app that supports Matter, regardless of who manufactured it.

In just over three years, Matter has gone from promise to reality. Over a thousand certified products. Major platforms (Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, SmartThings) have integrated it. And new versions are being rolled out approximately every six months.

What Matter 1.5 has already added

Matter 1.5, released in November 2025, is the largest feature expansion since launch. Three things stand out.

Cameras. Previously, security cameras, video doorbells, and baby monitors required their own apps and proprietary integrations. With Matter 1.5, cameras can now be certified and work directly in any Matter platform. Streaming is based on WebRTC — the same technology that powers Zoom and Google Meet — enabling secure two-way communication, panning and zooming, privacy zones, and both continuous and event-triggered recording.

Closures and motion. A new modular model for roller shutters, blinds, curtains, awnings, gates, and garage doors. Previously, all of these were categorized as either "locks" or "window coverings" — which did not work well for, for example, a lockable window handle or an automatic awning. Now, developers can combine different types of motion (sliding, rotating, opening) and configurations (single or double panels) in the same standardized framework.

Energy management. Improved smart meter support. Support for complex tariffs and time-of-use pricing. Information about grid status and power limits. And for electric vehicle charging: support for bidirectional charging and state-of-charge reporting — important for upcoming regulatory requirements in the EU and for vehicle-to-grid scenarios.

And as a bonus: support for soil moisture sensors in gardens and plants, connected to Matter-controlled irrigation systems.

Matter 1.5.1, which arrived in March 2026, further refined the camera features — multi-stream so that multiple devices can view the same camera without overloading the network, and support for modern media formats such as HEIC and HLS.

What it says about the industry

Three things stand out to me when I look at Matter 1.5.

First: the cadence. Roughly every six months, a new version is rolled out. This is unusual for a standard that includes Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung at the same time. It says something about how seriously the industry takes this.

Second: the breadth. Matter started with lighting, locks, and sensors. Now it covers cameras, energy management, vehicle charging, and garden irrigation. The vision of a truly cohesive smart home becomes more concrete with every version.

Third: the focus on local control. One of Matter's core principles is that devices should be able to work locally, without relying on the cloud. This is not just a technical detail — it is a stance on how smart homes should work. When the router has issues, the lights should still turn on according to the schedule.

This is exactly the principle that hub 2 was built around.

What future versions may bring

CSA is already working on future versions. On the table are:

• Presence and motion sensors with more advanced detection
• Environmental sensors for air quality and other parameters
• Home appliances — refrigerators, ovens, washing machines
• Closure sensors for doors and windows
• Broader support for Wi-Fi access points as part of the infrastructure

We do not know exactly what each version will contain. But the direction is clear: Matter is going to cover everything that happens in a home. And it will do so without lock-ins.

What it means for Telldus

We have built on the principle of freedom since our start in 2005. You should be able to choose the devices you want, not the ones that happen to fit your particular hub. You should be able to combine manufacturers. You should not have to start over when you switch or expand.

For twenty years, we have had to fight against the current to live up to that. Every manufacturer with its own solutions. Every platform with its own lock-ins.

Matter changes that. It is not a competitor to what we do — it is a validation of what we have always been heading toward.

Hub 2 is our first hub built for Matter. It supports Matter over both Thread and Wi-Fi, with a built-in Thread border router. Together with Zigbee and Bluetooth, which the hub also supports, this means it handles three of the most important protocols in modern smart homes.

And as Matter 1.5 features begin to appear in products — cameras, smarter energy management, more types of automated closures — hub 2 is ready to handle them.

In conclusion

The smart home industry is evolving rapidly now. Faster than ever before. And this is the first time in a very long time that the entire industry is moving in the same direction.

It is worth noting.

True smart homes begin with you having a choice. And with Matter — and hub 2 — that choice becomes broader with every passing month.