The Matter standard aims to make your smart home gadgets work better together, and the latest update adds some long-awaited devices to the network.
Matter 1.5 adds security camera support, meaning video doorbells, outdoor and indoor cameras, as well as pet and baby monitors. The update also specifies that Matter supports multi-stream configurations, pan-tilt-zoom controls, and detection and privacy zones. It’ll also work on either cloud or local storage, depending on how you’ve set up your camera.
Individual manufacturers will choose which cameras get Matter 1.5, so keep an eye on your device’s updates for further information.
The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), which handles Matter, also announced a new category called “closures,” which are basically devices that close, such as smart window shades, drapes, awnings, gates, and garage doors.
“It means more consistent and flexible control of closures across apps and ecosystems, improved safety and security through precise position reporting, and enabling the key smart home use case of ‘did I remember to close the garage or lock the door?’ to a diversity of devices and types of homes,” the CSA says.
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Gardeners can also rejoice as Matter 1.5 brings plant care into its system with support for soil sensors. The niche gadget allows you to monitor the moisture or temperature of your plants, and with Matter 1.5, you can configure automatic watering routines for when you’re away from home.
Energy management tools, meanwhile, will make sure you’re not going overboard. Configure your network to run power-hungry appliances when energy costs are lowest, set limits for daily costs, or integrate green energy sources, such as solar panels, to help save you money.
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