OFweek smart home network news never expected that the router can also be the starting point for the layout of smart home.
When it comes to Qualcomm, the first thing that comes to mind in most minds is certainly the chip, but recently the figure of this chip maker has also appeared in the revival of wireless routers, and it wants to make the Internet of Things smarter.
Mesh network routers such as Eero, Google Wi-Fi, and Netgear Orbi all rely on Qualcomm's underlying technology to connect multiple routers together to form a large home network. These products have reversed the price of home routers from the bottom up, and consumers are very happy to pay this premium to reduce the trouble caused by Wi-Fi.
Recently, Qualcomm released the latest mesh network technology that will enable loudspeakers and microphones to play together, allowing router ports to enjoy the same audio controls as Amazon Echo and Google Home. Router manufacturers can also draft protocols that support popular smart homes so that users can automate fixtures, door locks, and other devices in their home without having to install separate hubs or bridges.
By helping vendors add these capabilities, Qualcomm aims to transform routers from a single Wi-Fi pipeline into a more intelligent home backbone. However, once the chip manufacturer succeeds, router manufacturers and further consumers will need to make a decision soon - which smart home and voice assistant platforms can bet.
Mesh router: no longer applicable only to WI-FI
Qualcomm's mesh network system is not just a microchip, but a collection of software functions that manage Wi-Fi connections. Router manufacturers still decide on the design and scope of each network, and can add additional features such as parental controls or guest access, but in the end, it is Qualcomm's technology that determines where users should install each network and network. Traffic flows between the two.
Qualcomm's new system extends coverage from Wi-Fi to other smart home protocols, including Bluetooth, CSRMesh, and 802.15.4 (which form the basis of ZigBee Low-Power LAN protocols used by products such as Philips Hue bulbs). Typically, these protocols require separate hubs or bridges to communicate with smart phones and the Internet. Qualcomm is trying to consolidate all content on a single router system to enable it to support platforms like Wink or Samsung SmartThings.
Jesse Burke, Qualcomm’s product marketing manager, said: “You don’t need to put these extra hubs at home, just connect everything to the router.â€
The idea of ​​combining Wi-Fi routers and smart home centers is not entirely new. Both Google's OnHub and Wi-Fi routers include basic ZigBee support, such as several Almond series routers from Securifi. But Patrick Moorhead, chief analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy, said that Qualcomm's integrated routers, which include all the necessary radios and software, should be cheaper and consume more power.
Moorhead said: "I waited five years for the birth of this chip."
Qualcomm is also committed to developing software that will turn router ports into voice assistants, using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and other systems to play music, answer questions, and control smart home devices. Router manufacturers still need to provide microphone arrays and speakers, but Qualcomm will provide voice recognition, noise cancellation, and links to cloud services from other companies such as Google and Amazon. It can be said that Qualcomm provides a reference mesh router design with all the necessary hardware.
Burke from Qualcomm said: "The market will soon see the integration of these voice assistant products with mesh networks. It makes sense that these two things are combined together."
Choose your router wisely
Qualcomm's new system has made people see a possibility: The network router system will provide everything needed to build a smart home, from protocol support to voice control. We hope that once these connections are available immediately, we will see an increase in the number of sensors and other smart devices that can be connected at home.
Burke said: "When it becomes the nervous system of the entire family, this platform can do a lot of things. This is the direction we are trying to push the industry forward."
However, please note that Qualcomm itself does not bet on any specific smart home platform or voice assistant service. All of this will depend on the router manufacturer, who still has to compete with competing voice assistants (Google assistant, Amazon Alexa and perhaps Microsoft Cortana) and automation platforms (Wink, Samsung SmartThings, Lowe's Iris, and even Apple HomeKit). make a choice.
Burke said: "When Netgear or any other original equipment manufacturer launches a product with this type of functionality, how and which services are integrated is determined by the partners they can win or APIs that can be accessed. What we want to do is to provide a completely available platform to implement these ideas."
It is not hard to imagine that there will be a land dispute in the end. Although mesh routers have just been born for a year, according to the NPD Group, they now account for more than one-fifth of total US router revenue. The sudden emergence of mesh routers combined with Qualcomm’s new router technology provided an opportunity for smart home platforms to reach the mainstream market.
“In short, these companies want everyone to be able to support their ecosystem,†Moorhead said. “So I can see Samsung providing payment services for someone, or Netgear and SmartThings.â€
After all, consumers often do not replace routers more than once in three to five years, and they are likely to view expensive mesh systems as long-term investments. With Qualcomm making home automation and voice commands easier and more affordable, better Wi-Fi services may soon be locked into the platform. It seems that it is no longer full of pain to decide which router to buy.
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