Microsoft announced today that it is joining the AllSeen Alliance, a Qualcomm-led effort to establish standards for devices that fit into the “Internet of Things” category.
The organization, which already includes companies like LG, Cisco, and Panasonic, is working on an open source “Internet of Things” framework based on AllJoyn to allow devices to connect and talk with one another, regardless of brand or platform. There are more than 50 members in the group, from home appliance companies like Haier to electronic makers like Sharp.
Reuters notes that chipmakers competing with Qualcomm plan to launch their own rivaling consortium for the same “Internet of Things” devices, which include everything from home alarm systems to TVs to in-car technology.
Microsoft announced last month that it is launching a new startup accelerator in Redmond focused on home automation and the Internet of Things, in partnership with American Family Insurance. It’s designed to promote startups that are searching for new ways to improve how people use their homes.
Meanwhile, a study from Pew Research in May found that most experts agree that embedded computing — another term of the “Internet of Things” — will become mainstream by 2025.
