Thread Newsletter

NEWSLETTER Q3-4 2020

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

I hope this finds all of you safe and well as those of us in the Northern Hemisphere turn the corner into Fall and Winter amidst the ongoing global pandemic.

As we approach the end of the year and reflect on the recent accomplishments in the Thread Group community, there are many reasons for hope and excitement for the New Year and beyond.

Chief among those reasons is the spate of exciting Thread-certified and-enabled product announcements. First‚ we would like to congratulate both Cascoda on their Chili2D Thread Certified component solution and Siemens on their Built on Thread certified SSA911 thermostatic radiator valve. In addition‚ we applaud Apple and their HomeKit ecosystem on the announcement and launch of the Apple HomePod mini along with their partners Nanoleaf -- with the launch of their Essentials line of lighting products and Eve Systems -- with the announcement of their in-field upgrade to their extensive‚ and now Thread-certified‚ product portfolio.

Next‚ Thread Group membership continues to grow and we would like to welcome our four newest members to the community: ADT, Allegion, Carrier, and Eaton.

Finally‚ we celebrated over 200 engaged guests and members at our most recent virtual all members meeting. At that meeting‚ we featured compelling keynote presentations and demonstrations of some of the aforementioned products.

We will look forward to seeing you virtually again in Spring 2021 for our 17^th (3^rd virtual) all members meeting. Details will be posted on the Thread Group website once available.

Best Regards,
Grant Erickson
President
Thread Group

IN THE NEWS	Why Thread Network Matters in Smart Home and Building Designs November 30, 2020 EDN Why Thread is a Game-changer for Apple’s HomeKit November 13, 2020 AppleInsider Apple HomePod Mini Review: The Little Big Apple November 12, 2020 The Ambient Apple’s New Thread Could Level Out The Smart Home Playing Field November 12, 2020 Forbes Podcast: Let’s Talk About Thread and Digital Twins November 12, 2020 Stacey on IoT Thread Smart Home Explained: Everything You Need to Know About the Wireless Protocol November 11, 2020 The Ambient Eve HomeKit Accessories Add Thread Support For Improved HomePod Mini Connectivity November 11, 2020 9 to 5 Mac Podcast: Thread’s Importance to HomeKit (Start 7:30) November 9, 2020 AppleInsider HomePod Mini Supports the New Thread Protocol That Could Transform the Smart Home October 15, 2020 Gizmodo Nanoleaf Expands HomeKit-Enabled Shapes Lineup with Triangles and Mini Triangles Modular Lights October 15, 2020 9 to 5 MAC Podcast: Apple’s Smart Speaker and Cheap Thermostats (Start 7:35) October 15, 2020 9 to 5 MAC Prioritization of IoT a Conundrum for Digital Manufacturing Technologies August 4, 2020 IoT World Today

PRESS RELEASES	Eve to Add Thread Support to Home-Kit Enabled Accessories November 11, 2020

NOTABLE TWEETS	RF Design Engineer Asem Elshimi @siliconlabs explains to @EDNcom “Why Thread network matters in smart home and building designs”. https://t.co/hpoHU1MSep?amp=1 Aqara’s dimmer switch‚ Thread’s importance to HomeKit‚ and more on HomeKit Insider https://tinyurl.com/y32pz8p7 Listen to Thread discussion 07:30 - 22:02 .@nanoleaf adds that they’ll be the first smart lighting devices to work with #Thread. Next year‚ those Essentials will soon be joined by new Nanoleaf smart switches‚ motion sensors and other lighting accessories announced earlier this year at CES.” - CNET https://t.co/yWznOBLk7H?amp=1 .@siemens battery-powered radiator valve actuator is Built on Thread certified. With Thread protocol IPv6 it communicates with Siemens smart thermostat. Learn more .@Cascoda Chili2D‚ a USB Connected Evaluation Board with CA-8211 radio is Thread Certified Learn more HomePod Mini Supports the New Thread Protocol That Could Transform the Smart Home via @gizmodo Real-world #Thread implementations from WideSky‚ @Blue_Griot‚ Yale, @FarmJennyAlerts‚ @Centro‚ @cascoda‚ UTR Systems and @Tridonic highlighted in our built for #IoT case studies. The @Tridonic Thread Border Router is a compact‚ easy to install device to get #Thread networks started. It forms the link between the wireless, low-power #Thread network and the rest of the building’s network infrastructure. Read more from the Case Study With growing demand for interoperability and coexistence‚ Project CHIP will support multiple transports‚ including #Thread. Read the recent @zigbeealliance blog to learn more about the progress and growth of Project CHIP. bit.ly/ZA-CHIP

Q3-4 HIGHLIGHTS

Certified new Thread products and components from Cascoda‚ Eve Systems‚ Nanoleaf‚ Nordic Semiconductor and Siemens
Held the November Virtual Thread Group Members Meeting with 205 members and guests in attendance and a member presentation from Apple / Nanoleaf / Eve Systems
Released 3 new videos – Kirale Technologies‚ OSRAM and Tridonic
Published 2 case studies – Soltec Innovations and Tridonic
Participated in Soltec Trackers webinar
Worked with IP-BLIS on Common Myths About IP Networking for IoT article
Updated the Thread Benefits webpage

HOT TOPICS

HOW THREAD STACKS UP AGAINST BLUETOOTH

ModernDay Tech recently reviewed Thread vs. Bluetooth featuring the Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb and Lightstrip with Thread performing better than Bluetooth when testing the Nanoleaf products. Overall‚ the review provided an overview of Thread technology showing it in action and noted that the technology will “bring the smart home to the next level.” The video review can be viewed here.

VIRTUAL THREAD GROUP MEMBERS MEETING -- SAVE THE DATE

Join us April 20-22‚ 2021 for the Virtual Thread Group Members meeting. This Members Meeting will be three full days of parallel sessions allowing for deep-dive efforts in each of the Committees (Technical‚ Marketing and Certification)‚ including time for joint committee meetings. Because the focus is on working breakout sessions‚ you must be a Sponsor‚ Contributor or Implementer member to participate in the Members Meeting. Additional details will be posted on the Thread Group website once available.

THREAD GROUP UPCOMING EVENTS

Thread Group Virtual Members Meeting

April 20-22, 2021

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