SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc's
Nest Labs on Tuesday unveiled an industry group to encourage makers
of smart home gadgets like locks and light bulbs to use Thread, a
new standard for devices to communicate on a network.
The attempt by Nest, a smart thermostat maker that Google bought in
January for $3.2 billion, to lead the way on how future household
devices to speak to each other, underscores the importance Google
puts on areas like cars and the home.
It follows similar initiatives by Qualcomm Inc, Intel Corp and other
technology companies.
The new Thread Group includes Samsung Electronics and chip companies
ARM Holdings, Freescale Semiconductor and Silicon Labs. Big Ass Fans
and lock maker Yale are also members of the group, which will
certify Thread-compatible products.
Thread is a networking protocol with security and low-power features
that make it more suitable for connecting household device than
others, such as Wifi, NFC, Bluetooth or ZigBee, said Chris Boross, a
Nest product manager who heads the new group. Nest's products
already use a version of Thread, he said.
The radio chips used for Thread-compatible smart devices are already
in many existing connected home products that use ZigBee, like
Philips Hue smart light bulbs.
Those Zigbee devices could potentially be updated with software from
their manufacturers to work with Thread after a product
certification program starts next year, Boross said.
"Around that time I imagine that Thread-compliant products will
start hitting the market, but people can start building Thread
today," he said.
Companies including Silicon Labs, Freescale, NXP and Atmel make
chips that could be used in Thread-compatible products, which Boross
said will be easy to interconnect and offer improved security.
In June, Nest said it partnered with Mercedes-Benz, Whirlpool Corp
and light bulb maker LIFX to integrate their products with its
thermostats and smoke detectors.
Its Thread Group goes even further and adds to a growing field of
companies and industry consortia trying standardize how household
connected devices from different manufacturers interact. Last week,
Thread Group member Samsung Electronics also joined Intel and Dell
Inc to form a new consortium.
Earlier in July, Microsoft Corp became the 51st member of a
competing group called AllSeen Alliance, which is led by Qualcomm
and also includes Sharp Corp and other consumer electronics
manufacturers.
Apple Inc, known for strictly controlling how other companies'
products interact with its own, in June announced plans for HomeKit,
its own framework for connecting household gadgets.
(Reporting by Noel Randewich; Editing by Richard Chang)
The attempt by Nest, a smart thermostat maker that Google bought in
January for $3.2 billion, to lead the way on how future household
devices to speak to each other, underscores the importance Google
puts on areas like cars and the home.
