The tech industry loves a coalition. Sometimes these coalitions lead nowhere, but I don a particular case, large companies working together are really beneficial to consumers.
Or at least that’s the hope for Project CHIP, an open source initiative introduced in 2019 as a unifying smart home standard in all ecosystems. In accordance with The Verge, the Zigbee Alliance announced earlier this week, certification of the initial batch of CHIP-compliant devices would arrive later this year after delays due to the pandemic. We may see some of these smart devices on time on the shelves of the 2021 shopping season. The first wave of products could include lights, blinds, HVAC controls and TVs, the Zigbee Alliance said.
CHIP stands for Connected Home over IP and aims to facilitate the connection of Apple’s HomeKit, Apple, Alexa, Thread and Zigbee devices. Apple, Google, Amazon and ZigbThey are the original members of the alliance and have partnered with 170 more companies to build it.
CHIP works in addition to a combination of Bluetooth LE, wifi and Thread to facilitate connectivity, acting as a kind of facilitator depending on the task. For example, Bluetooth is usually reserved for the setup process, while wifi is used for the needs of connecting high-bandwidth devices with video, for example.
He Wire protocol is the leading player here, as it is essentially a mesh network for smart home devices. Google bought Thread in 2014 to help unify the company’s Nest devices, but it wasn’t until Apple joined in 2018 that it began to find strength.
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Wire devices can communicate with any other compatible device, regardless of the manufacturer, and require little to turn on. It’s a lower power specification than wifi and Bluetooth, so batteries will last a bit longer on smart sensors and other wireless accessories. Thread can also support up to 250 devices, which is exactly what you want gadget makers to consider as you build your ultimate connected home.
Older smartphones that are not CHIP compliant may also need a bridge device from the manufacturer to enable compatibility.
You may already have some wired compatible devices in your home. He Google Nest Hub, Nanoleaf Essentials bulb and the smart light strip, and the Apple HomePod Mini they are ready for all threads.
Adding another protocol to the mix of an already cluttered and silent smart home ecosystem can seem overwhelming if you’re the person buying. But there is hope that the specification will apply to the entire industry, as Apple, Google and Amazon have committed to the initiative.