Image: Ahn Young-joon/Associated Press
Major manufactures such as Samsung, Dell and Intel are joining forces to create an industry standard for the way smart home gadgets like thermostats and refrigerators communicate with each other, as a part of the so-called Internet of Things.
Called the Open Interconnect Consortium, it will go head to head with the AllSeen Alliance, an existing initiative backed by 51 consumer-electronics and software applications, including Microsoft, LG, Panasonic, Sharp and Qualcomm. The OIC will also take on a vendor-neutral approach with the help of open-source software and collaboration development.
The OIC is focused on defining the connectivity requirements for the billions of devices that will make up the Internet of Things. Doug Fisher, general manager of Intel's Software and Services Group, said the new framework will "address security and other issues not adequately handled by the AllSeen group," according to Reuters.
Although Gartner Research predicts "smart home" technology will add $1.9 trillion to the global economy by 2020, there are still some major challenges that stand in its way, and both alliances aim to help.
For instance, a Samsung fridge can't talk to your Sony TV because every brand prefers to use proprietary technology that isn't compatible with another company's. Eventually, these objects will create a small network that will work together to create a “smart homeâ€.
The first OIC open-source code will target the specific requirements of smart-home and office solutions, allowing developers to make it easy to remotely control and receive notifications from smart-home appliances using smartphones, tablets or PCs.
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