I've just stumbled across a new protocol that is said to replace Zigbee in the near/distant/unknown future called CHIP (Project Connected Home over IP).
I wondered if the hubitat team already has already seen this and already plans something in order to support it with current or future platform revisions.
They don't even have the standards fleshed out, so it's likely close to 2 years before the first products could make it to market, longer if they don't hustle.
Then, 2-10 years after that before it could possibly take over the established protocols (depending on how good it is, how cheap it is, who is pushing it, etc.).
I've done some cursory research looking at their website trying to see why this is being developed but I have come up short. Anyone know what they say this will do that Zigbee and Z-Wave do not already offer?
This may be a little tangential, but why exactly does Z-Wave and Zigbee both exist, like was one built to replace the other and just never did or? Can anyone direct me to a good recount of the history of these protocols?
Is that before or after Thread? And where does the new Green Zigbee fall into that?
Zigbee is so all over the place, who can tell what comes out of their mouth any more. It is like they throw a bunch of crap on a wall and see what sticks.
they're trying to make it more appealing to the masses (similar to wemo). it's funny looking at the big players in the initiative though, i definitely don't trust them
I don't find CHIP appealing either, but I'd like to know from hubitat how they would handle this once it comes out.
Will it be possible to use our "old" zigbee and Z-Wave stuff along with the new protocol or would we need additional products / hubs / softwares?
Royalties for the various patents they'll create that Apple, Amazon, Google, and Samsung can all get a cut of the $$$ on.
I suspect that's an impossible question for them to answer. I don't even believe the detailed spec of the standard is published. It's kind of like asking your cell phone carrier what their plans are to let your phone support 6G... well since it doesn't exist yet, how can they answer that question?
From the Stacy on IOT link:
“The Project uses Internet Protocol (IP) rather than the Zigbee transport and networking protocol. Project CHIP and Zigbee are two separate protocols.”
Zigbee will evolve, but it's staying around. Amazon is still putting Zigbee radios into its newest higher end Echo products. Even Lutron is adding products based on the same IEEE 802.15.4 standard that Zigbee is based on.
The current standard that may be left out in the cold is Z-Wave as there is no current path for it to speak in IP.
