From left to right: Mr. Ganser (Cisco), Mr. Min (LG), Mr. Hartung (Bosch), Mr. Schumacher (ABB).
First things first: ABB, Bosch, Cisco and LG have signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a consortium to provide a service platform for smart homes.
While this is “just” a first step, I’d consider it a big and significant one, as the parties intend to develop an open architecture for data exchange.
Can you imagine a platform, which would allow diverse devices and services to interoperate and to exchange information with each other? A platform that would enable software distribution and that would allow appliances and devices made by different manufacturers to be part of home automation, security, healthcare, and entertainment services? A business ecosystem that leverages on existing standards to provide an open B2B Service Platform for a huge variety of users and partners?
Once the consortium is set up and running, the target of the service platform is to make the standard available to all manufacturers, software developers, and service providers, which will also enable new business models. “This consortium is a solution that maximizes collaboration and customer value,” says Byunghoon Min, Senior Vice President, Convergence R&D Laboratory, LG Electronics.
Could this be the missing link to what we’ve seen earlier this year, e.g. at IFA2013?
Well, as outlined at that time, many “smart” things in and around our homes are already possible, but overall standards are still missing.
That’s exactly what these four global players from different areas want to change, when they intend to establish a business ecosystem, that is open to manufacturers, developers and service providers, so that their products, apps and services will interoperate. Or in their words: “Diverse appliances, but one language”.
The common platform that is now kicked off by ABB, Bosch, Cisco and LG is one big step toward the Internet of Things for the home. Or as Dr. Stefan Hartung, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH, puts it: “Let’s take our homes into the internet! An open standard for data exchange is the basis for this. At the same time, our innovative and beneficial services can improve quality of life in the homes of the future, and allow us to use energy efficiently, safely, and comfortably, both in our homes and our cars.”
What further players could you imagine for the consortium?
What services would you like to see coming up for smart homes?
Get all the information about the signed memorandum of understanding here…