Microsoft has joined Qualcomm and other technology companies in a bid to establish standards for the Internet of fings, fangs, thongs and things, writes Nick Farrell.
The Qualcomm-backed AllSeen Alliance attracting people who want to promote protocols for how smart devices should work together.
Microsoft joined 50 other members in the AllSeen Alliance, including major consumer electronics players Panasonic, LG and Sharp.
However this is not the only standards consortium out there and chipmakers that compete with Qualcomm plan to launch a rival standards consortium as early as next week.
It looks like we will have another standards war similar to that sparked by the Blu-Ray and HDTV standard.
Apple – known for strictly controlling how other companies’ products interact with its own, in June announced plans for HomeKit, which will integrate control of devices like garage door openers, lights and thermostats. Of course Apple gear will be slavishly adopted by Apple fanboys who are keen to have Coldplay playing on their fridge, but will probably not be seen elsewhere.
Last week, Google said it partnered with Mercedes-Benz, Whirlpool Corp and light bulb maker LIFX to integrate their products with Google’s Nest thermostats and smoke detectors.
So far the biggest player, Intel, has stood like Lord Stanley on the sidelines of the Battle of Bosworth waiting for one side to start calling for a horse. While saying it is keen on the Internet of Thongs, it is thinking of the internet of bags.
