So, like, have you heard about this whole Matter situation? It’s supposed to be like the perfect solution for smart homes, bringing all the big players like Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Home together to work harmoniously. Sounds great in theory, right?
But, surprise surprise, Matter is actually having a bit of a rough time. Adding new devices to your Matter network can be a headache, and sometimes the devices connected through Matter don’t even show all their functions to Matter controllers. It’s like, what’s the point, right?
And get this, even though Matter supports a ton of smart home gadgets like smart bulbs, shades, robot vacuums, and thermostats, there’s one big category missing: security cameras. Like, seriously? How can you have a smart home without security cameras?
I asked about this whole security camera debacle last fall when Matter spec 1.4 came out, and they were all like, “Oh, we’ll add it in 2025, maybe.” Well, guess what? The latest update, Matter 1.4.1, just got announced, and you know what’s still missing? Yup, security cameras.
But hey, it’s not all bad news. In Matter 1.4.1, they’re introducing some cool stuff like multi-device QR codes. So, instead of scanning a bunch of different codes for each device in a box, you can just scan one code and add them all at once. That’s pretty neat, right?
Oh, and they’re also putting the same info from the QR codes onto NFC tags. So now you can just tap a device to add it to Matter. It might not sound like a big deal, but trust me, it makes life a lot easier, especially for those hard-to-reach QR codes.
And let’s not forget about the Enhanced Setup Flow. It’s all about making it easier to accept a manufacturer’s terms and conditions when adding new products to Matter. No need to switch apps anymore. It’s the little things that count, right?
But here’s the catch: all these cool updates won’t magically appear on your devices right away. Manufacturers need to get on board and update their stuff, which can take forever. So, don’t hold your breath for those security cameras just yet.
As for when we can expect Matter to finally support security cameras? Who knows. The Connectivity Standards Alliance, the folks behind Matter, only release major updates twice a year. And the last one was last November, so we might be in for a long wait.
So, are we getting security cameras in fall 2025? Maybe. But honestly, I wouldn’t bet on it. This whole Matter thing seems like it’s moving at a snail’s pace.
Ben has been writing about tech for over 20 years, and now he’s covering all things smart home. From speakers to lights to security cameras, Ben has got you covered. You can find his work in all sorts of places like PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, and even Men’s Fitness. Plus, he’s got a master’s degree in English lit. So, not really sure why that matters, but hey, it’s something.
