 | This articleis missing information about technical specification and licensing. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on thetalk page.(April 2025) |
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| Developed by | Thread Group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Home automation |
| Website | threadgroup |
Thread is anIPv6-based, low-powermesh networking technology forInternet of things (IoT) products.[1] The Thread protocol specification is available at no cost; however, this requires agreement and continued adherence to anend-user license agreement (EULA), which states "Membership in Thread Group is necessary to implement, practice, and ship Thread technology and Thread Group specifications."[2]
Often used as a transport forMatter (the combination being known asMatter over Thread), the protocol has seen increased use for connectinglow-power and battery-operatedsmart-home devices.[3]
In July 2014, the Thread Group alliance was formed as an industry group to develop, maintain and drive adoption of Thread as an industry networking standard for IoT applications.[4] Thread Group provides certification for components and products to ensure adherence to the spec. Initial members wereARM Holdings,Big Ass Solutions,NXP Semiconductors/Freescale,Google-subsidiaryNest Labs,OSRAM,Samsung,Silicon Labs,Somfy,Tyco International,Qualcomm, and theYale lock company. In August 2018,Apple joined the group,[5] and released its first Thread product, theHomePod Mini, in late 2020.[6]
Thread uses6LoWPAN, which, in turn, uses theIEEE 802.15.4 wireless protocol with mesh communication (in the2.4 GHz spectrum), as doZigbee and other systems. However, Thread isIP-addressable, withcloud access andAES encryption. ABSD-licensed open-source implementation of Thread calledOpenThread is available from and managed by Google.[7]
The OpenThreadnetwork simulator, a part of the OpenThread implementation, simulates Thread networks using OpenThreadPOSIX instances.[8] The simulator utilisesdiscrete-event simulation and allows for visualisation of communications through a web interface.[relevant?][9]
In 2019, the Connected Home over IP (CHIP) project, subsequently renamed toMatter, led by the Zigbee Alliance, now theConnectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), Google, Amazon, and Apple, announced a broad collaboration to create aroyalty-free standard andopen-source code base to promote interoperability in home connectivity, leveraging Thread, Wi-Fi, andBluetooth Low Energy.[10][11]
Thread border routers are devices that provide bidirectional connectivity between a Thread network and other IP-based networks such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet. They enable communication between Thread devices and the internet or other local networks, which is essential for Thread networks since Thread devices operate on a low-power mesh network using IEEE 802.15.4 protocol in the 2.4 GHz spectrum. Border routers translate between these networks, allow for service discovery across network boundaries, and enable external commissioning of Thread devices. Without a border router, Thread devices would be isolated from other networks and the Internet.[12]
| Company | Device name | Release year | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon[13] | Echo | 2020 | 4th generation and newer |
| Echo Hub | 2024 | All models | |
| Echo Plus | 2018 | 2nd generation | |
| Echo Show | 2024 2024 2021 2023 | Echo Show 21 Echo Show 15 (2nd generation) Echo Show 10 (3rd generation) Echo Show 8 (3rd generation) | |
| Echo Studio | 2019 | All models | |
| eero routers | 2017 | All eero Pro routers and eero Beacon All third generation routers withWi-Fi 6 and newer | |
| Apple[14] | Apple TV 4K | 2021 | 2nd generation 3rd generation with Ethernet |
| HomePod Mini | 2020 | All models | |
| HomePod | 2023 | 2nd generation | |
| Google[15] | Nest Hub | 2021 | 2nd generation |
| Nest Hub Max | 2019 | All models | |
| Nest Wifi | 2019 | All models | |
| Google TV Streamer 4K | 2024 | All models | |
| Samsung SmartThings[16] | SmartThings Hub | 2018 | Version 3 |
| SmartThings Station | 2023 | All models | |
| Aeotec Smart Home Hub | 2021 | All models |
Data from Wikidata