Google's Eric Schmidt shared plans for the "smart" home at CES Tuesday, hinting at a strategy to move Android beyond devices to a connected ecosystem for everyday living.
Consumers can look forward to a connected home, where every device and appliance is networked, and, if Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt has his way, powered by Android.
According to a CES panel discussion featuring Schmidt and representatives from Samsung, Sling Media and Benchmark Capital, the smartphone is on its way to becoming a portal for connecting other household appliances like televisions and refrigerators, via a cloud platform.
When Google launched its "Android@Home" service last year, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company made its first foray into connecting household devices via Android apps. Using this service, Android users can already turn lights off and on from their smartphones, and more functions are soon to come.
Connected home "ecosystems" are an emerging trend, reflected in smart appliances that debuted at CES, including an LG refrigerator that helps people manage their diets by connecting their food storage to their smartphone.
Home-improvement retail chain Lowes also has a connected home kit set for release later this year, which will wirelessly link all of a home's devices and systems, such as heating and air, lighting and home theater systems, allowing users to control them from a mobile device.
Schmidt points to his company's open-source platform as one key to its future success in smart-home technology.
"We even have Android in refrigerators now," Schmidt said. "By open-source we mean, 'take it and have fun.' And people have."
When the panel moderator, CNET's Molly Wood, pointed out Android's fragmentation issues may hinder that strategy, Schmidt defended his company's decision to keep Android open source and denied�different OS versions on varied devices hurts the platform. Instead, he said they preserve competition and give consumers choice.
"You have to be careful with that word fragmentation. I would say differentiation. Differentiation is positive, fragmentation is negative," he said.
Google's latest update, Android 4.0, or Ice Cream Sandwich, aims to cut fragmentation by uniting app developers under a single platform and ensuring consistency across smartphones, tablets and, ultimately, appliances such as refrigerators, televisions and home entertainment systems.
As Android developers find ways to use the platform to connect more of the items people use every day, users may soon find themselves flicking on every appliance in their home from their smartphone. Schmidt describes the future connected home as an intensely personal experience.
"You want to be able to walk into your house and have all the appliances adjust, know it's you," he said.
CES 2012: Google's Schmidt Hints at "Smart Home" Strategy originally appeared at Mobiledia on Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:46 pm.
Source: http://www.mobiledia.com/news/123596.html
alltel atlanta texas alltel atlanta tx alltel blackberry alltel blackberry curve alltel blackberry curve 8330
No comments:
Post a Comment