Google's Nest has introduced a new standard that lets connected home devices communicate with each other.
A maker of smart thermostats and one of Google's recent acquisitions, Nest introduced Thread on Tuesday, Reuters reported. The industry group is similar to the Qualcomm Collective, which was recently joined by Microsoft.
Samsung Electronics and chip companies ARM Holdings, Freescale Semiconductor and Silicon Labs are part of the Thread industry group, along with Big Ass Fans and lock maker Yale, which will certify devices that are compatible with Thread.
Google purchased Nest for $3.2 billion in January, likely as a way to lead the connected home market as the "Internet of things" continues to grow. Nest has technology that allows its smart thermostats to be controlled remotely.
Thread protocol has security and low-power features that more easily connect home devices into a network, Chris Boross, a Nest product manager who is leading the Thread group, told Reuters.
Device compatibility is an expanding issue as more and more products, including thermostats, security systems and televisions, feature wireless connection but don't necessarily work with one another.
"All these things need a standard. Nobody wants to buy a TV and have to make sure their speakers are compliant," said Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon, as earlier quoted by Reuters. "But we're in an experimentation phase with the Internet of Things. It's early days and nobody knows what it's eventually going to look like."
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