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Comparison · 2 picks
Matter 1.4 vs Matter 1.5: What's New for UK Smart Homes
If you're trying to decide whether a 'Matter-compatible' device label means anything yet for the device class you care about, this is the comparison to read. Matter ships roughly one major spec a year, and 1.4 vs 1.5 is the gap that finally pushes Matter into security cameras and meaningful energy-tariff awareness - two categories that previously needed brand-specific apps. Below: what each version added, what's actually working in real UK homes today, and which version your Matter controller (HomePod, Nest Hub, SmartThings Station, Echo Hub, Home Assistant) speaks right now.
At a glance
All 2 options side by side.
| Matter 1.4 (energy-management release) | Matter 1.5 (cameras, closures, garden release) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £0 | £0 |
| Best for | solar panels, batteries, water heaters, heat pumps, and improved EV charger support. | Published 20 November 2025 by the Connectivity Standards Alliance. |
The picks in detail
Matter 1.4 (energy-management release)
Bottom line. Published 7 November 2024 by the Connectivity Standards Alliance. The first Matter release that meaningfully extended into the home energy stack: solar panels, batteries, water heaters, heat pumps, and improved EV charger support. Also introduced Enhanced Multi-Admin (cleaner setup across multiple smart-home apps) and significant Thread improvements. The 1.4.1 (May 2025) and 1.4.2 (August 2025) point releases added NFC onboarding and stricter Thread 1.4 router certification. Most devices shipping in 2025 advertise Matter 1.4 compliance.
Matter 1.5 (cameras, closures, garden release)
Bottom line. Published 20 November 2025 by the Connectivity Standards Alliance. The first Matter release that standardises security cameras (WebRTC streaming + STUN/TURN traversal, two-way audio, pan/tilt/zoom, privacy zones), a unified closures framework with intermediate positions (garage doors, awnings, roller shutters), soil moisture and temperature sensors for irrigation, and an energy-tariff device type that lets devices respond to real-time pricing and grid CO2 intensity. Backward-compatible with 1.4; new device features only light up when both the device firmware and the controller's Matter stack speak 1.5.
What's the headline difference between Matter 1.4 and 1.5?
Matter 1.4 was a major release because it finished the energy story Matter 1.3 started. Solar panels, batteries, water heaters, heat pumps and proper EV chargers all became first-class Matter device categories, with attributes that hubs can read (current production, state of charge, set point, schedule) and write to. If you bought a Matter-compatible heat pump or solar inverter in 2025, it was almost certainly a 1.4 device.
Matter 1.5 ships exactly a year and 13 days later (20 November 2025). The headline additions are three categories Matter previously did not cover at all: cameras, closures (garage doors, awnings, roller shutters with intermediate positions), and soil sensors for irrigation. There is also an energy-tariff device type that lets utilities push real-time price + carbon-intensity data to your hub so your dishwasher or EV charger can respond automatically. None of this was in 1.4.
How do the device categories compare?
| Device category | Matter 1.4 | Matter 1.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting + switches | Yes (since 1.0) | Yes |
| Door locks + thermostats | Yes (since 1.0) | Yes |
| Blinds + shades | Basic open/close (since 1.0) | Unified closures framework with intermediate positions (NEW) |
| Garage doors | Not supported | Yes via closures framework (NEW) |
| Appliances (fridges, dishwashers, ovens) | Yes (1.2 and 1.3) | Yes |
| Security cameras + doorbells | Not supported | Yes (WebRTC streaming, two-way audio, PTZ) (NEW) |
| Soil moisture / soil temperature sensors | Not supported | Yes (NEW) |
| Solar panels + batteries | Yes (1.4 added) | Yes (refined) |
| Heat pumps + water heaters | Yes (1.4 added) | Yes (refined) |
| EV chargers | Enhanced (1.4 added) | Yes (refined) |
| Energy tariff device type | Not supported | Yes (NEW) |
Will Matter 1.4 devices keep working when controllers upgrade to 1.5?
Yes. Matter releases are backward-compatible: a Matter 1.5 controller (HomePod / Nest Hub / SmartThings Station / Home Assistant Matter Server) talks to a Matter 1.4 light bulb without any extra setup, just using the 1.4 feature set. The new 1.5 device types only require new code paths inside the controller and the device firmware - they don't break anything below. So if your existing Matter setup is mostly 1.0/1.2/1.4 lights, sensors and locks, a controller firmware bump to 1.5 changes nothing for those devices.
The corollary: a Matter 1.5 device (a 1.5 camera, say) needs a Matter 1.5 controller to expose its new features. A 1.4 controller can still pair and run base functionality where the device falls back to a generic category, but you won't see the camera stream inside Apple Home or Google Home until both ends speak 1.5.
Which controllers actually support Matter 1.5 today?
This is the part that matters in practice. Matter 1.5 shipped to the CSA in November 2025, but each ecosystem (Apple, Google, Samsung, Amazon, Home Assistant) decides when their hubs roll out the 1.5 code. Based on past Matter releases, expect:
- Apple Home - HomePod / Apple TV firmware ships Matter feature updates around tvOS / HomePod OS major releases (annual, autumn). Cameras are particularly significant because Apple already has HomeKit Secure Video; expect Matter camera support to land on a cautious timeline.
- Google Home - has historically been one of the earlier Matter adopters via Nest Hubs and Google Home Preview Program. Closures and cameras are obvious fits for Google's existing Nest ecosystem.
- Samsung SmartThings - actively shipping Matter updates via firmware. SmartThings Station + Hub v3 are the relevant controllers.
- Amazon Alexa - Echo Hub and 4th-gen Echo devices have been on a slower Matter cadence than Google or Samsung.
- Home Assistant - via the Matter Server add-on, typically the FIRST platform to support new Matter device types - usually within weeks of CSA spec publication, ahead of the closed-ecosystem controllers.
If you want the bleeding edge of Matter (1.5 cameras, soil sensors, energy tariff) in 2026, Home Assistant is the most reliable route. For Apple / Google / SmartThings users, expect to wait into 2026 for the new device types to appear in your app, with cameras possibly later than closures and sensors.
What about the Matter 1.4.1 and 1.4.2 point releases?
Between 1.4 and 1.5, the CSA shipped two point releases. 1.4.1 (May 2025) added NFC-based onboarding (tap your phone to a device to pair, instead of scanning a QR or entering a code) and multi-device setup workflows. 1.4.2 (August 2025) was a security and certification update - the most consequential change was tightening Thread router certification to require Thread 1.4 support and at least 150-device addressing, which directly improves how well Thread mesh networks handle real-world UK homes packed with locks, sensors, and bulbs.
These ship inside controller firmware updates and don't require buying new hardware. If your HomePod, Nest Hub or SmartThings Station updated firmware between May and August 2025, you're almost certainly on the 1.4.x point releases already.
Should you wait for 1.5 devices before buying?
Generally, no - with three category-specific exceptions.
For cameras, yes wait if buying a camera specifically for Matter-based home automation (Frigate, Home Assistant scenes triggered by motion). A native Matter 1.5 camera will be far easier to integrate than the current generation, which need brand-specific cloud accounts and bridges. If you just want a camera that records to its own app, Matter 1.5 doesn't change anything for you.
For garage door openers, also worth waiting. Matter 1.5's unified closures framework is the first time Matter properly handles garage doors as a first-class device type. Pre-1.5 'Matter-compatible' garage openers were mostly brand-specific bridges.
For everything else - lights, locks, thermostats, plugs, appliances, energy management - the Matter 1.4 generation is the right purchase today. The 1.5 backward-compatibility guarantee means a 1.4 thermostat keeps working as 1.5 controllers roll out.