Matter cameras are now part of the standard, but support depends on which app or hub you use. Matter 1.5 defines cameras, and Home Assistant 2026.11 and Samsung SmartThings both say they support them. For Apple, Google and Amazon, I could not find an official page that confirms Matter camera support today. So before you buy, check your own platform first.
I opened each source below on 10 November 2026. Where I could not confirm something, I say so.
Table of Contents
What Matter 1.5 adds for cameras
The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) announced Matter 1.5 on 20 November 2025. Cameras are a new device category, meant to interoperate with Matter ecosystems without custom APIs or separate integrations.
According to the announcement, the standard covers:
- Live video and audio streaming, built on WebRTC
- Two-way communication, with local and remote access using STUN and TURN
- Multi-stream setups and pan-tilt-zoom controls
- Detection and privacy zones (named, but not explained in detail)
- Continuous or event-based recording to local or cloud destinations
- TCP transport for large amounts of data
A Samsung Research post on Matter 1.5 cameras adds that snapshots can be sent through the Matter protocol itself, and that the category includes consumer devices such as video doorbells and intercoms.
What the standard does and does not tell you
Matter 1.5 cameras follow a standard for how they talk to a controller, but the standard does not tell you how good the picture is, and the CSA announcement names no codecs, resolutions or detection types.
The CSA page also says nothing about prices or subscriptions. Whether a vendor charges for cloud storage or smart alerts is a business decision, not something I could find in the standard. Treat any camera claim about “AI detection” or “cloud history” as the vendor’s own feature until their page says otherwise.
One more limit: the announcement says the specification, SDK and test tools are available to Alliance members and that Matter 1.5 is “ready for implementation and certification.” It gives no date for when specific camera products will be certified, so a Matter 1.5 spec is not the same thing as a camera on a shelf.
Which platforms support Matter cameras today
Here is what I could read on official pages. “Not listed” means the page I opened does not mention cameras, which is not proof that support is missing.
| Platform | What the official page says |
|---|---|
| Home Assistant | Supported from 2026.11 |
| Samsung SmartThings | Announced 22 Dec 2025, camera updates from Jan 2026 |
| Apple Home | Cameras not listed |
| Google Home | I could not confirm |
| Amazon Alexa | Cameras not listed |
Home Assistant
The Home Assistant 2026.11 release post says “With Matter 1.5, cameras are part of the standard, and Home Assistant now supports them.” A Matter camera shows up as a camera with live video and snapshots. The video is streamed with WebRTC directly between your browser and the camera, and the entity mirrors the camera’s privacy-mode state.
Two conditions apply. Matter cameras need a Matter server that is recent enough, and Home Assistant only discovers cameras when the connected server does. The post gives no minimum version, so I cannot name one. For the full list of changes in that release, see our Home Assistant 2026.11 update checklist.
Two-way audio is a Labs preview, switched on under Settings > System > Labs. It adds a talk button to the live stream. Browsers only allow microphone access over a secure connection, so for now it works when you open Home Assistant over HTTPS. For two-way audio, Matter cameras and Reolink cameras (using RTSP) are the supported types in this release.
Samsung SmartThings
In a December 2025 newsroom post, Samsung said SmartThings supports Matter 1.5 and that updates from January 2026 would add cameras. It lists indoor and outdoor cameras and video doorbells, with live streaming, two-way communication, motion detection and, on select models, pan-tilt-zoom.
Samsung named Aqara, Eve and Ulticam as partners, with products expected in select markets from March 2026. It says Australian availability is unconfirmed. I did not check whether those products are on sale now.
Apple, Google and Amazon
- Apple: Apple’s list of supported Matter accessories names air conditioners, bridges, lights, locks, outlets, switches, thermostats, blinds and shades, and several sensor types. Cameras are not mentioned. The page is dated 7 May 2026.
- Google: Google’s Home APIs device types page lists a camera type, but it is a Google-defined device type with Google-specific traits and says nothing about Matter 1.5. I could not confirm whether Google Home’s own app supports Matter cameras.
- Amazon: Amazon’s Matter documentation lists hubs, lights, plugs, sensors, locks, window coverings, thermostats, fans, air purifiers, appliances and robot vacuums. Cameras are not listed as a device type (the page names an Echo Studio with Home Camera only as an Echo product). It says Matter-compatible Echo devices support a subset of Matter 1.5 and lower device types.
Pages like these change, so check the current version before you decide.
What to check before buying Matter cameras
- Name your controller. Decide whether the camera must work in Home Assistant, SmartThings, or another app, then look for that platform’s own statement of support. Do not assume.
- Look for Matter 1.5 specifically. Many cameras already work with apps through vendor clouds or RTSP. Those are not the same as Matter cameras. Ask the seller or check the product page for Matter 1.5 camera certification.
- Check your software versions. Home Assistant needs a recent Matter server. SmartThings needs current app and hub updates. Update before you blame the camera.
- Plan for two-way audio. In Home Assistant it is a Labs preview and needs HTTPS. Do not buy Matter cameras on the strength of talkback alone.
- Read the storage and subscription terms. The standard allows local or cloud recording, but each vendor decides what is free. Our no-subscription smart home devices guide shows how to read those terms.
Is the local angle real?
Partly. The CSA says recording can go to local or cloud destinations, and Home Assistant says video streams directly between your browser and the camera. That is encouraging for people who want Matter cameras with fewer cloud accounts. But I did not test any camera, and neither source promises that a given Matter camera works fully offline or without an account. Check the vendor’s setup steps.
If you are weighing the bigger picture, our post on why “pick one ecosystem” advice is outdated explains how Matter fits across platforms. If you plan to run cameras through Home Assistant, take a backup to a USB drive before you update.
The short version
Matter cameras exist on paper and in a few platforms, but Matter camera support is uneven. Home Assistant and SmartThings are the two I could confirm from official pages. Start with your controller, then pick a camera that names it, and update before you test.
Sources checked 10 November 2026: CSA, Matter 1.5 announcement, Home Assistant 2026.11 release post, Samsung SmartThings newsroom, Samsung Research, Apple Support, Google Home Developers, Amazon Alexa developer docs.
More in this series: No-subscription and private smart home guides.
