Major smart home platform SmartThings has been testing Matter Camera capabilities, with a release expected to arrive soon. Multiple standalone sources told Matter Alpha that SmartThings is preparing to release Matter camera support.
The timing aligns with the platform’s quarterly release schedule, suggesting a rollout near the end of this month or early next month.
Internal testing underway
An anonymous source details that the SmartThings team has updated its internal compatibility to support the Matter Camera device type. The platform is currently in the testing phase, weighing whether to merge the feature into the next immediate quarterly update, said another source. However, they indicate that they are facing challenges testing with real-world hardware, despite a few manufacturers, such as Xthings and Aqara, actively developing Matter-ready cameras.
If development proceeds as planned, we may see the inclusion of this feature in the next major firmware updates for SmartThings Hubs and apps. While the previous 59.x beta cycle concluded recently, we have yet to see the next beta version, likely numbered 60.x, open in the SmartThings developer community. These beta programs typically offer early access to Aeotec-branded SmartThings hubs and are a strong indicator of imminent feature drops.
We are likely to learn more following the conclusion of the upcoming “Plugfest,” a critical internal testing and interoperability event attended by ecosystem providers and device vendors. Hosted by Connectivity Standard Alliance (CSA), this event is expected to focus heavily on validating the Matter Camera capabilities introduced in the recent Matter 1.5 specification, alongside other quality-of-life improvements like condensed QR code commissioning (Multi-device in one code).
At the moment, the specific feature set SmartThings will implement remains unclear. SmartThings US did not respond to Matter Alpha’s inquiry as of the press time.
SmartThings is taking the lead, again
The adoption of the latest Matter specifications has generally been slow across the industry, with the notable exception of the community-driven Home Assistant. Many major platforms have appeared cautious, potentially delaying integration to avoid technical debt or conflicts with existing proprietary integration business models.
SmartThings, however, has consistently bucked this trend. It was one of the first platforms to support the previous major specification, Matter 1.4, offering nearly full device type support shortly after release. It was also the first major platform to release Thread 1.4 support with the credential sharing features that stabilized and unify Thread networks for many users.
By moving quickly to support Matter Cameras, SmartThings is positioning itself as the most “open” of the big four platforms. The Matter Camera support is a significant technical leap for the standard, utilizing WebRTC for low-latency video and audio streaming. This is a departure from the legacy proprietary protocols used in older smart home integrations and requires significant engineering effort to implement across platforms.
Unification encourages competition
Matter’s unification and open nature are beginning to drive better market competition. A less bounded smart home setup allows users to switch safely between different ecosystems without replacing hardware. Platforms typically hold the most power in this relationship compared to end-device makers. Now, however, the dynamic is shifting. If a platform like Alexa or Apple Home fails to catch up with features like Camera support, users can easily migrate their daily management to a more capable platform like SmartThings using Matter’s multi-admin features.
Aside from SmartThings, Home Assistant is expected to be the next major player to adopt these features. The platform is currently migrating its official Matter implementation from the standard C-based SDK (where the Python add-on acted only as a wrapper) to the recently joined Open Home Foundation project, Matter.js. This shift is expected to accelerate development. Home Assistant still needs to add a few underlying features before it’s ready for Matter Camera, like the 2-way audio required for doorbells and cameras.
Vendor-wise, as of now, the first Matter Camera has shown up with certification from Aqara, which is likely modeled after the G350. The model is expected to feature a dual camera with zoom capability, according to Matter leak CyberModeStudio. Aqara previously told Matter Alpha that the first Matter-enabled camera would be available in 2026 H1, with more models supporting it via firmware updates, not specifying the models.
Another Matter camera from Xthings, Ulticam IQ V2, features 4K UHD image quality and Power-over-Ethernet (PoE). It is also powered by Gemini for advanced AI features, available later this month at $199 at Amazon and ulticam.com.
Google is also likely to introduce Matter for its latest generation cameras, along with the Walmart-partnered Onn camera, another move to phase out none Matter devices under the brands Google and Nest and shift to all Matter experience.
(Source: CyberModeStudio, Xthings, CSA, Walmart, SmartThings; Image Source: SmartThings, CSA, Xthings, Walmart)
