Smart home gadgets were everywhere at the CES trade show in January, from useful iterations on connected light bulbs and door locks to odder endeavors such as fridge cams and connected trash cans. But one theme was constant: They're not all going to work together.

While some of these devices can communicate with others, no universal language yet exists for the "Internet of Things"—the industry catch-all term for ordinary devices made more powerful through connectivity. Device makers must instead choose between disparate frameworks such as Apple's HomeKit, Samsung's SmartThings, Works with Nest, Android's Things, and Amazon's Alexa. The burden then falls on users to determine whether the products they want are compatible with the system they bought into.

The good news is that standardization is under way, with meaningful progress toward a common language for all these devices. But it'll probably be another CES or two until consumers start to notice.