The Internet of Things is touted to become the next big battleground for technology. As you would expect, Google is at the forefront with its recently launched platform called Android Things. Developers can now avail of the preview version.
The highly popular OS has become a springboard for IoT. It's not the first attempt from the tech giant. A former project, Brillo, had similar features but it did not catch fire. More features are coming soon in an effort to match Apple's HomeKit platform for the same space.
Google is lending support to the early adopters of Brillo to ensure that their projects can be migrated seamlessly. Android Things is seen as its natural evolution with a more polished design thanks to hard-earned learning's.
Hardware manufacturers are already onboard to bring products on the market with Google's latest. These new solutions will feature Raspberry Pi, NXP Pico and Intel Edison for starters. Push updates and security fixes will be available immediately.
Many other companies are interested in the ecosystem. Google's Weave is receiving support from Honeywell, Belkin, TP-Link, and more. They have committed to the adoption of the protocol so that their own devices can communicate with Google Assistant. There's also a new update for Weave, as well as a Device SDK that supports common household controls like switches and thermostats.
Google is moving towards consolidation to ensure that their IoT platform is solid and ready for mainstream use.
AMD Ryzen CPU, Google Waymo, Android Things