Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) said it has broadened developer support for a low-power Wi-Fi platform that it introduced one year ago and also agreed to distribution deals aimed at extending the platform to a broader set of customers.
The company's Qualcomm Atheros subsidiary launched its single-chip QCA4002/QCA4004 devices one year ago for use in major home appliances and consumer electronics. The company hopes to extend the platform's reach to the broader Internet of Things (which Qualcomm prefers to call the Internet of Everything) via a new development kit that enables their use in devices ranging from light bulbs and remote controls to home automation and security systems.
The kit includes support for the AllJoyn open-source software framework created by Qualcomm and now overseen by the AllSeen Alliance. The framework is crucial in getting IoT devices onto home networks and enabling them to communicate with each other, said Ed Pawlak, senior manager of product management at Qualcomm Atheros.
Another key feature is Wi-Fi Direct, which enables peer-to-peer connectivity. "There may be applications in the Internet of Things where a device may not be in range of an access point. A good number of customers are looking for this type of capability," Pawlak told FierceWirelessTech.
Further, cloud-connect services are enabled through 2lemetry's ThingFabric IoT platform, which includes support for secure socket layer (SSL) connections between device and cloud. In addition, there is a hosted mode for designs that pair the QCA4002/4004 with a microcontroller (MCU). Further, Green Transmit (Green Tx) enables dynamically adjusted output power.
Qualcomm Atheros' new distribution agreements--with Arrow Electronics in North America and China and CODICO in Europe--are aimed at providing greater access to the QCA4002/4004 module and supporting services.
"There are a lot of smaller companies that are very diverse and coming up to speed with the Internet of Everything," said Pawlak, noting fields served by these companies include home automation, connected appliances, energy management, lighting and security. In order to reach this growing customer base, Qualcomm decided it needed to expand its distribution channels, he added.
For more:
- see this Qualcomm release
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