“Samsung Electronics, Intel Corp and Dell have joined to establish standard ways for household gadgets like thermostats and light bulbs to talk to each other, at odds with a framework backed by Qualcomm, LG Electronics and other companies,” Noel Randewich reports for Reuters. “The new Open Interconnect Consortium, like the Qualcomm-supported AllSeen Alliance, aims to establish how smart devices work together in a trend increasingly called the Internet of Things.”
“Doug Fisher, general manager of Intel’s Software and Services Group, told Reuters that the framework to be developed by the new consortium would address security and other issues not adequately handled by the AllSeen group,” Randewich reports. “Last week, Microsoft became the 51st member of the AllSeen Alliance, which also includes Sharp Corp and other consumer electronics manufacturers”
“Technology heavyweights Apple and Google are also pursuing their own ways of interconnecting household devices,” Randewich reports. “Apple, known for strictly controlling how other companies’ products interact with its own, in June announced HomeKit, which will integrate control of devices like lights and thermostats. Google’s Nest has also partnered with companies including Whirlpool Corp and light bulb maker LIFX to integrate their products with its thermostats and smoke detectors.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As we wrote yesterday:
Any home automation scheme that doesn’t work well with iPhone and iPad is DOA. And, the home automation solution that will work best with the devices that the vast majority of affluent homeowners use, iPhone and iPad, will be Apple’s. Period.
Strangely enough, I’d almost rather these clueless companies do it and put a strain on google’s attempts. Let them divide and conquer themselves and Amazon — adding the latter to the mix since it’s just a matter of time before they announce an Amazon Home solution :p
SID has joined the home automotive effort!
Samsung
Intel
Dell
SID’s products will be created from scratch to compete against companies who’s products have been on the market and have a track record for years!!!
And yet Dell a part of M$ will have access to the AllSeen Alliance thorugh M$.
Just saying……….
The paramount consideration in any standardization will be security . I own a Nest but the day Google bought the company I started looking for alternatives .
One may well see two alternatives emerge -one for the cheap and insecure and one for the higher income demographic which is much more secure
The latter will be Apple
Gaagle’s friend LIFX had their light bulbs hacked already.
Samsung, Intel, and Dell team up… Would that be a ‘team up’ like Moe, Larry and Curly or would that be a team up as in the new rat pack?!?
Dream-team!!!
Three turkeys doesn’t make an eagle.. at most it makes the threes stooges, that is what those companies look like trying to guess what’s apple doing.
It’s the turducken conglomerate.
Wait, didn’t Apple once again start this trend? And is it really surprising who is following? Because that is all they can do is follow, never lead.
The value of their attempt is in propagating the concept that this home automation is an idea whose time has come. They are going to blanket the market with devices that show us how great it can be and at the same time demonstrate how not to do it. If they preempt Apple they will be embarrassed. If they produce a cheap knockoff ( the more likely scenario) they will be obvious and embarrassed. Would you let these cohorts of Googgouhl into your home and reveal your bathroom habits?
How often you visit the pantry? Oh! You mean they wouldn’t do such a thing?
O just hope all of them (Apple included) remember that there is already a standard in Europe, called EIB/KNX.., and it works. I expect all these groups and individual companies to make an effort to have theyr proposed standards to work well with it.
EIB/KNX
Failure defined.
Most of those android user mugs probably aren’t even homeowners.
Dreamteam. 😉