Invisible Tech: Why Open Standards And Local AI Are Redefining The Smart Home

In the past few years the lines between professionally installed smart homes and DIY setups have become ever more blurred, with open standards such as Matter and Aliro helping to bring the two worlds closer together.

But despite consumer smart home devices being a lot less fragmented than in years gone by, pro installation still has an important role to play, according to ISE managing director Mike Blackman.

Speaking to me in the midst of planning ISE 2027, which takes place in February next year, Blackman said the distinction between consumer smart home products and the technology used in high-end installations is less apparent than ever, with off-the-shelf devices now using many of the same chipsets and protocols found in professional systems.

But he believes there’s more to a great smart home than simply having the latest gadgets.

“What separates a great home from a collection of clever gadgets is design, and that hasn’t changed,” he told me.

“How the network is built, how the audio is tuned to the room, how lighting, shading, climate and security work together, and who picks up the phone when something goes wrong… A standard setup can match a high-end install feature for feature on a spec sheet. It rarely matches it on the experience of living with it for ten years.”

Blackman highlighted research from CEDIA (the global trade association for the smart home and home technology industry), which recently valued the UK professional smart home market at £2.2 billion, as proof of the continued demand for integrated systems and installation expertise.

Rather than viewing DIY devices as competition, he believes professional installers increasingly need to embrace the products homeowners are already buying.

“Consumers arrive better informed, with higher expectations and often with devices already in place,” he explained. “The best integrators treat that as a starting point rather than a problem.”