At CES 2024, we are showcasing how the world's leading brands are building with Amazon's devices and services, and leveraging the latest innovations in artificial intelligence to build the next generation of ambient experiences.  This article written by Alex Ruan, general manager, Sengled Smart Lighting, is part of a series that showcases select brands on display at the Amazon Experience Area at CES 2024.

Smart lighting systems embody a convergence of advanced technologies, integrating hardware and software components to deliver a sophisticated and user-friendly lighting experience.

At Sengled, we take pride in the fact that we’ve been at the forefront of the industry since introducing our first smart speaker bulb in 2012. Through continuously innovating and improving our technology, we remain a global leader in LED smart lighting, offering customers products that add convenience to their lives and ambience to their homes. Our mission is to enhance everyday life through lighting.

We’ve learned from our more than 12 million customers across the globe that one of the keys to accomplishing our mission is to create simplicity, especially related to setup. Homeowners adding smart lighting want a plug-and-play experience, delivering a frustration-free installation that gets them quickly experiencing all the features and benefits of the product.

Sengled’s smart lighting journey

Throughout the years, we’ve developed lighting and other devices with simplicity and convenience in mind. In 2014, we launched our hub-based Zigbee smart lighting line, providing flexibility and near-unlimited options, allowing customers to connect up to 64 smart devices to each hub. Zigbee remains popular, especially with smart lighting power users.

More recently, in 2018, we added Wi-Fi to our product portfolio. This protocol’s unique advantage is that it does not require a hub and can be controlled via an app on your smart phone. Thus, it’s an excellent option for consumers new to smart home technology.

Next up was Bluetooth Mesh, a major leap forward in delivering that plug-and-play experience. This technology also tapped into another key component of Sengled’s success: collaborating with some of the biggest names in smart home technology, including Amazon Alexa. Setting up one of our Bluetooth bulbs is as easy as screwing in the bulb and prompting, “Alexa, connect to the device,” and following subsequent prompts.

Moving to Matter

Most recently, just this past summer, Sengled launched one of the industry’s first Matter-enabled smart light bulbs. Leveraging the latest smart home connectivity protocol, designed to make it even easier for you to connect your entire home with enhanced interoperability, compatibility, and installation, Matter aims to ensure all smart home devices, systems, and voice assistants speak the same language.

Here, we again leveraged our collaboration with Amazon Alexa. By developing our smart bulb with their Amazon Connect Kit SDK, we were able to accomplish 3 key drivers:

• Accelerated entry to the market with more predictable outcomes and costs – The process of product development adhering to new standards can be arduous and resource-intensive, necessitating in-depth knowledge in areas such as wireless protocols, cloud connectivity, networking, and security firmware. This poses significant challenges, even for seasoned manufacturers like Sengled. However, with the introduction of the ACK SDK for Matter, we benefited from comprehensive solutions, including pre-developed application codes and Wi-Fi module hardware designs. This approach not only streamlined the development process, particularly for Frustration-Free Setup, but also facilitated a smoother path towards obtaining Works with Alexa and Matter certifications. In addition, the program's structure included cloud services for the device's entire lifespan at a low, one-time cost, offering a transparent view of long-term expenses.
  
  
• Unique experiences and innovation – Utilizing the ACK SDK for Matter, we could concentrate on its expertise—creating superior lighting products. The ACK SDK's business analytics and device-level metrics armed Sengled with advanced troubleshooting tools and insights, enabling us to explore new features, refine existing ones, and enhance overall customer satisfaction. These insights empowered Sengled to add more value to devices and services throughout the customer journey.
  
  With the cloud connectivity provided by the ACK SDK for Matter, Sengled gained the ability to independently deploy OTA updates and manage software updates, reducing dependence on external smart home systems or Matter Admins. This autonomy enhanced control over brand image and customer experience.
  
  
• Expanded reach and business growth – Amazon’s retail platform offers manufacturers like us a substantial opportunity to connect with a vast customer base that frequents Amazon.com. The Works with Alexa badge on Amazon.com reassures customers of product compatibility and brand reliability, aiding Sengled in reinforcing our position as a leader in the smart home industry and engaging with a larger audience. The certification also opened avenues for joint marketing efforts, including bundles and special promotions during events like Prime Day. Additionally, as a participant in the managed program, we received sales and marketing consultation, assisting in planning market entry strategies, optimizing sales, and expanding into new markets.

Taking Matter global

Speaking of expanding into new markets, Sengled’s success in the U.S. with our Matter bulb has prompted us to begin offering Matter lights and smart plugs throughout select regions in Europe.

Launching this past fall, customers can now purchase these products in the U.K., Spain, Italy, France, and Germany, all via Amazon.com. While we’ve always had a global presence, taking Matter to other countries is the perfect complement for smart home users in other countries due to its enhanced compatibility.

This expansion is another benefit of our ongoing collaboration with Amazon Alexa, allowing the company ease of access and reduced barriers to entry into the large and diverse European market.

As Sengled looks to the future, we do so with a strong foundation in the past, never forgetting what got us here: continuous innovation, focus on customers, and establishing new ways to team up with other companies.

With Matter technology now in the company’s portfolio and a variety of different products, from light bulbs to light strips and smart plugs, Sengled offers U.S.-based and European customers a robust experience to suit the needs of nearly any situation.