Is True IoT Interoperability on the Horizon?

You can add another mark on the Internet of Things (IoT) collaboration-for-increased-interoperability scorecard, as the AllSeen Alliance and Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF) merge. The merger will consolidate the two organizations under the OCF name and bylaws, in the interest of advancing interoperability between connected devices from both groups.

Working Toward a Unified Industry Standard

The merger will bring together an impressive array of IoT companies under the OCF banner, including Microsoft, Samsung, Qualcomm, GE Digital, LG Electronics, Cisco Systems and more. The members will work together to develop future OCF specifications and the open-source projects AllJoyn and IoTivity that AllSeen and OCF pioneered, respectively, before the merger.

AllJoyn and IoTivity are software frameworks that will move forward as a combined implementation with the IoTivity name. IoTivity is an open-source reference implementation of the OCF specifications, offering IoT developers a free and interoperable framework for their connected devices.

Despite the merger, engineers developing with either AllJoyn or IoTivity can rest assured that their products will be compatible with the unified OCF standard. Current devices running on either framework will be interoperable and backward compatible.

“By coming together as one group, we are able to make IoT a more seamless, secure experience for everyone involved, from developers to end users,” said AllSeen's Danny Lousberg. “The AllSeen Alliance and Open Connectivity Foundation have been working together closely to deliver a technologically comprehensive solution that makes sense for the industry and our members.”

Some Hope for True IoT Interoperability

While we’ve seen a lot of collaboration and open-sourcing toward the end of IoT interoperability, the AllSeen Alliance/OCF merger seems promising for two reasons. First, both initiatives were themselves collectives of collaborative companies. So it’s not just two companies coming together—it's hundreds. Second, there are some major IoT players involved. With big names like Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Samsung and more, you can expect some real ramifications for interoperability.

Will this merger mark the beginning of a true, global IoT standard for interoperability? OCF Executive Director Mike Richmond certainly hopes so.

“We're incredibly excited about this unification as both groups have been working diligently to make this possible,” he said. “As we forge onwards towards this shared goal, we are focused on building the most robust, open IoT software solution to achieve our vision—complete interoperability within the IoT.”