The ZigBee Alliance is now working with the Thread Group on an end-to-end solution for IP-based IoT networks. The solution will become part of The ZigBee Alliance’s set of product development specifications, technologies, and branding and certification programs.
Zigbee and Thread established a liaison agreement in April of 2015 to explore opportunities for bringing ZigBee’s applications library to the newly developed Thread networking protocol. The two organizations have now completed their evaluations and the ZigBee Alliance has begun development of a combined solution that is intended to streamline product development, improve interoperability, and ultimately enhance the consumer experience with IoT home products.
Zigbee will incorporate support for Thread’s networking layer with the ZigBee Applications Layer, which now consolidates all previous market-specific ZigBee device profiles into a single, unified library. The goal is to release a complete solution, including an end-to-end certification program, during the third quarter of 2016 that meets the market’s desire for IP-based low-power radio frequency communications in the Smart Home and other IoT markets.
