Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA), which has been set up to promote safe and secure interoperability across long-life appliances and systems within the connected home ecosystem, will be displaying its first cloud-to-cloud connectivity demonstration at IFA 2022 in Berlin, Germany.
The demo is seen as a breakthrough in the joint efforts of multiple brands of apps to control multiple brands of appliances, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and TVs. HCA is set to achieve this milestone in a short time --- the alliance was only launched in January 2022.
The goal of the Home Connectivity Alliance is to enable secure, long-term interoperability between Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and TVs within a connected multi-vendor ecosystem. It will basically show how home appliances from multiple companies can be controlled with one system.
Samsung takes the lead
It would be now possible to operate a wide range of devices from 13 alliance members including Beko, Samsung, Grundig, LG, Electrolux Group, Haier, GE Appliances and Trane Technologies via the cloud using apps from various manufacturers.
The interoperability of smart home devices and long-life appliances provides consumers with more choices and options within their connected home environment. For instance, older appliances can work with newer appliances – across manufacturers – and save more energy and money at the same time.
"The goal of the HCA is to equip consumers with more features for their connected home applications through C2C interoperability, affecting both new and existing devices from participating global leading brands," Yoon Ho Choi, President of the Home Connectivity Alliance and Global Head of Planning & Partnerships, Home IoT Business at Samsung Electronics, said.
As it happens, Samsung seems to be taking lead within the 13-member group. Samsung's integrated home appliance solution SmartThings is to make consumer electronics goods and mobile apps interoperable under the standard provided by the Home Connectivity Alliance, through an update of Samsung's smart home solution next year.
The update will allow users of HCA member brands to control more than 40 functions in 15 white goods categories designed for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and entertainment. SmartThings will also be able to connect 300 brands of third-party devices more to build a smart home ecosystem, considering SmartThings system's scalability.
The Home Connectivity Alliance also focuses on aspects of sustainability, as major appliances and HVAC systems are expected to work together to save energy in the home. Thanks to the alliance, data, including on energy consumption and how to optimize it, will be viewable. HCA plans to work with leading forces in the energy management industry to create solutions that offer holistic energy solutions for the home.
The much-expected demo attended by HCA member companies will take place from Friday to Monday during the IFA 2022 in Berlin.
