Samsung, Google-owned Nest Labs, and five other companies have partnered to create Thread Group, which will focus on developing a new wireless networking protocol for smart homes. Thread uses both the same frequency and radio chips as Zigbee, a standards-based wireless technology utilized by products like Phillips’ customizable Hue LED light bulbs. It can connect more than 250 devices to a low-power, mesh network equipped with internet and cloud access. The new protocol is intended to address some of the issues present within the competition, including lack of interoperability, high power requirements, and hardware dependencies.
Read more at The Verge
