Smart Home Protocols : User perception and experiences

Abstract: Technology is developing at a rapid pace. With this, Internet of Things (IoT) and smart homes are being used by more and more people every day. The amount of network protocols that is being used in relation to smart homes are many and they come with different features and challenges. With one of the main challenges being the issue of interoperability between the protocols. This has led to the introduction of Matter, a new protocol that uses Thread, Wi-Fi and Ethernet as networking technologies underneath. The goal is to enable smart devices from different companies to seamlessly talk to each other. There is a gap in how the different protocols are perceived by users as well as how a standardized protocol like Matter could impact the experience of a smart home. The aim of the study is to better understand the need of consumers for their smart home protocols. This by using a mixed method approach to get the insight of consumers located in Sweden. The data in the study was collected by conducting a survey and two focus group sessions. The survey was answered by 34 respondents and was structured to answer research question 1. The focus group had 4 participants in the first session and 3 participants in the second session and was structured to answer research question 2. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the collected data which concluded into 7 themes from the survey and 5 themes from the focus groups.  The findings were then discussed subsequently with each theme. Using UTAUT2 as the theoretical framework the similarities and general findings were connected to the constructs of the UTAUT2 model. The themes showed that the perception of protocol is closely tied to its influence on factors like performance, reliability, and functionality of smart home devices. Additionally, it was concluded that adopting a standardized protocol such as Matter could potentially enhance interoperability, make it less complex, and address security and privacy concerns. As a result, this could significantly impact the user experience of individuals in their smart homes.