At the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the spotlight was on Matter, a protocol designed to revolutionize smart home devices. Launched by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) a year prior, Matter aims to simplify the process of connecting smart home products to networks and other devices, such as light bulbs, locks, cameras, and air conditioners.

The protocol’s goal is to address the frustrations often experienced when setting up and integrating smart home devices. By redefining how these products interact at a technical level, Matter seeks to enable seamless communication between devices, regardless of brand, and with the cloud.

Omdia research highlights the complexity of device set-up and the lack of integration as major obstacles to the widespread adoption of smart home technologies. These challenges are also significant for product developers, underscoring the need for a solution like Matter.