Semiconductor company STMicroelectronics has joined the Zigbee Alliance as the newest member of its Board of Directors. STMicroelectronics hopes the partnership will create new product development opportunities with “improved interoperability and cross-technology compatibility.”
STMicroelectronics will attempt to advance Zigbee, an IEEE 802.15.4-based 2.4GHz IoT protocol, through the company’s portfolio of wireless microcontrollers.
“As a leading and trusted Arm Cortex-M supplier to both top OEMs and the mass market committed to propagating Zigbee technology in its 2.4GHz product roadmap, ST supports the mission of the Zigbee Alliance and joined the board to share our expertise and help continue the Alliance’s success,” said Hakim Jaafar of STMicroelectronics.
According to STMicroelectronics, the company’s STM 32 microcontroller products include “strong integrated security mechanisms that guarantee IP and privacy protection,” a necessity in the evolving IoT market.
Zigbee recently updated its Green Power certification process to enhance the compatibility of Zigbee-based devices. Bringing STMicroelectronics on board shows the Zigbee Alliance is continuing its efforts to address the challenges of the IoT industry.
“STMicroelectronics plays an important role in powering next-generation IoT devices, and their leadership will be a great value-add at the board level and within working groups as we work diligently to create communication and connection standards that can be cast across continents,” said Tobin Richardson, president and CEO of the Zigbee Alliance. “As we head into 2020, it’s extremely encouraging to see the impressive collection of global tech organizations like ST that are committed to cooperation and interested in taking a seat at the Alliance table.”
For more Zigbee news, read Is ZigBee Poised to Become the Wireless Standard for IoT?