Broadcom, Intel, Samsung, Atmel, Dell and Wind River join forces to found the Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC)-- a new industry consortium "focused on improving interoperability and defining the connectivity requirements for the billions of devices that will make up the Internet of Things (IoT)."
In other words it will be competing with other similar efforts such as the Qualcomm-led AllSeen Alliance, whose members include Microsoft, Panasonic, LG, Sharp, Cisco, Fon and HTC.
The consortium's first aim will be the development of a common standards-based communications protocol specification, open source implementation and a certification program. The OIC says its specification will cover a range of connectivity solutions using both existing and emerging wireless standards, and should be compatible with multiple operating systems.
The first OIC source code will target the target smart home and office solution applications, such as remote appliance or device control and enterprise collaborations.
Other Iot opportunities the consortium mentions include automotive, healthcare and industrial.
"The rise and ultimate success of the IoT depends on the ability for devices and systems to securely and reliably interconnect and share information," Intel says. "Our goal in founding this new consortium is to solve the challenge of interoperable connectivity for the Internet of Things without tying the ecosystem to one company's solution."
