Six major tech companies have formed a partnership to create the Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC), a nonprofit group introduced Tuesday that aims to develop standards for future devices involved in Internet connectivity.
The founding members of the OIC are Dell, Samsung, Atmel, Broadcom, Intel, and Intel-subsidiary Wind River, according to ZDNet. The group is looking to first handle devices that are used in smart homes and offices, and looks to have its solution eventually used in "multiple vertical markets."
"The Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC) is focusing on defining a common communications framework based on industry standard technologies to wirelessly connect and intelligently manage the flow of information among personal computing and emerging IoT devices, regardless of form factor, operating system or service provider," the new group said in a statement.
The technology that the OIC is focusing on is involved in the Internet of Things (IOT), a term referring to everyday products, such as thermostats, light bulbs, and refrigerators, being connected to the Internet and each other through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The six companies are all looking for a method these devices and products can use to connect and communicate more easily, CNET reported.
"It's a fundamental problem that needs to be solved to have all these devices talking to each other," said Vijay Nagarajan, director of product marketing at Broadcom.
OIC said possible devices to come could include technology that allows users to remote control household systems, and that it could save money and conserve energy. The group added that it believes members need a common approach that will allow them to share information with one another, ZDNet reported.
"This requires common frameworks, based on truly open, industry standards," said Doug Fisher, vice president and general manager of software and services at Intel. "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."
The OIC is expected to announce more members in the upcoming months, CNET reported. Fisher added that the companies are still working on the structure of the group.
