Consumer desire for more sophisticated experiences is expected to drive growth in the smart home segment, but advances will be tempered by concerns over privacy, security, costs and interoperability, reported IDC Monday. Lack of interoperability and the longevity of smaller OEMs are challenges to the market, said analyst Jitesh Ubrani. The upcoming Matter standard should help negate some of the concerns, but “to stay relevant,” OEMs will need to offer “robust services” in addition to products, he said. The smart home concept is “truly mainstream in many parts of the world now," said analyst Adam Smith, citing the connected home’s role in easing social isolation and delivering convenience and entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic, among other benefits. The market is poised for “solid growth” despite ongoing supply chain and logistics disruptions and “uneven economies across the globe.” The global smart home device market grew 11.7% year on year in 2021, led by video entertainment devices with 310.7 million shipments and 35% market share. Home monitoring and security followed with 184.8 million shipments for 21% share; lighting was third at 85.7 million shipments and 10% share, it said. Smart lighting is forecast to be the fastest growing category of smart devices with a five-year annual compound growth rate of 24%, it said. Overall smart home device growth owes to rising broadband penetration, disposable incomes and consumer awareness, plus cost savings, convenience and energy efficiencies, IDC said.

Open Network Video Interface Forum-compatible security cameras can now be onboarded in the Ring app, Ring emailed Wednesday. Customers can add a layer of security to their existing ONVIF-compatible cameras and gain access to Ring features, such as live view, real-time notifications, event history and timeline. U.S. customers can buy a Ring Alarm Pro base station and subscribe to the Ring Protect Pro plan before adding their ONVIF-compatible cameras to the Ring app, the company said. Ring Alarm Pro starts at $299, and Ring Protect Pro is available for $20 per month or $200 per year.

Leviton introduced a combination wall charger for kitchens and bathrooms with ground-fault circuit interrupter outlets and USB type A and C ports. The USB ports have overcurrent protection to keep electronics from receiving too much power, the company said Tuesday. A smart chip is said to recognize and optimize the charging requirements of connected devices.

Utilities have tried different strategies over the years to engage consumers in smart energy solutions to help them manage costs and energy use, but a “large percentage” haven’t adopted them, blogged Parks Associates Friday. Parks cited ease of use and timeliness of information as reasons. Utilities can leverage connected “assets” in the home -- smart thermostats, lighting and plugs -- to develop a digital strategy that boosts adoption of energy management programs to generate additional revenue, it said.

Universal Electronics Inc. bowed the first certified Z-Wave Long Range (LR) Controller (see 2203150068) available for consumers under its Ecolink brand, at the International Security Conference & Exposition (ISC West). The 700 Series garage door controller has a maximum range of 2,200 feet from a paired Z-Wave security panel or hub, the company said Wednesday. Z-Wave compatibility brings increased coverage and scalability, better battery life, interoperability and backward compatibility, it said. Before Z-Wave LR, multiple signal repeaters were required in a mesh network to achieve transmission distances beyond the boundaries of the home, UEI said. Z-Wave LR eliminates the need for repeaters and allows homeowners remote monitoring and control of their garage doors using a smartphone or the security panel or hub, which it said gives “an extra layer of protection against intrusion.” The controller is compatible with any certified Z-Wave-enabled hub or security panel and will be available this month through North American Ecolink security dealers; it will be available “eventually” direct to consumers on platforms such as Amazon.com, UEI said.

U-Tec’s smart locks can be integrated with Samsung’s SmartThings platform, U-Tec announced Wednesday. Its Ultraloq smart locks will be Works With SmartThings-certified for control by the SmartThings app, which owners can use for notifications when the lock detects a person's entry into their home. They can control the locks by voice via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant; users can also create automations by syncing with other smart home devices to turn on lights or play music, it said.

Universal Electronics Inc.'s Ecolink 700 Series garage door controller is the first product to complete certification for Z-Wave Long Range (LR), enabling more use cases for smart home, multi-dwelling units and hospitality, said the Z-Wave Alliance Tuesday. LR extends Z-Wave connectivity beyond a home’s interior to door locks, garage door sensors and gate access, offering wider coverage, improved battery life, interoperability and backward compatibility, the alliance said; it grows scalability to over 4,000 devices on a smart home network. Ecolink plans to have all its new Z-Wave sensors and devices certified as Z-Wave LR, said UEI’s Mike Bailey, vice president-product development and operations.

The Matter smart home specification will dominate the smart home landscape within five years, reported ABI Research Wednesday. Though the standard is still “months” from completion, more than 100 million devices that support Matter will ship this year, and more than 5.5 billion by 2030, said ABI. The first spec is to be published late this year, and CES had “key” product announcements from Amazon, Apple Google and Samsung, along with component and service providers NXP and Tuya, said the researcher. But Matter presents new demands in connectivity, interoperability, security and marketing, ABI noted, with some already detailed and others still in development. Matter will “significantly change the way consumers adopt and use their smart home purchases, and it will also reconfigure vendor incentives for smart home engagement,” said analyst Jonathan Collins. It will lead smart home platforms capabilities to onboard and manage smart home devices -- “dispensing with a generation of device vendor apps," Collins said. The spec will provide new incentives for smart home players while also bringing more competition “and a rejigged playing field,” said the analyst. Beyond the immediate impact on smart home devices and consumers, the spec will enable better engagement in smart home from consumers and various industries. "Matter success will help provide drive and deliver a more readily addressable smart home user base that will in turn draw a number of industries looking to smart home to drive efficiencies, new revenue streams, and consumer engagement," Collins said.

Vivint is working with mortgage company New American Funding on a program to help homebuyers set up home services such as internet, TV and phone after completing home financing, they said Thursday. New American Funding customers will be eligible to receive a free Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro with installation, a $450 value, with the purchase of a Vivint smart home system, they said.

Signify is adding three Philips Hue smart lighting products to its indoor/outdoor U.S. portfolio. The Inara wall light ($99, February), with a dimmable warm white light, has the decorative look of a filament bulb. The Lucca wall light ($99, March) has white and colored light, and the Resonate wall light ($159, March), with white and color, creates triangles of color on the wall, the company said Monday. New effects will be added to the Philips Hue app this quarter, including candle and fireplace light, Signify said. The new effects work on all Philips Hue lights that are Zigbee- and Bluetooth-compatible, it said.