Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

ZigBee, Z-Wave, Thread and WeMo: What's the Difference?

However, most of these networks also need a "primary" device that serves as a network controller. If the primary device drops out of service, another device can often take over. Interfaces with smartphones or tablets can be handled by hubs, commercially available devices that are often compatible with two or more of these standards, as well as with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

"You have to have a hub to connect with the home network" for most of these protocols, said Tom Kerber, director of research, home controls and energy for Dallas-based market-research firm Parks Associates. "Hubs used to be $200, but now they come on USB sticks, cost $10 and plug into the back of the router."

Fortunately, many widely sold hubs can communicate with devices using two or more of these standards, allowing customers to mix 'n' match to some extent. But let's look at the differences among them.

From the article "ZigBee, Z-Wave, Thread and WeMo: What's the Difference?" by Kevin Parrish.

Previously In The News

Almost Half of All Pay-TV Customers Are Likely to Cut the Cord This Year

A new report by Parks Associates reveals that it’s likely 43% of all broadband households in the U.S. paying for traditional TV will switch to streaming options within the next 12 months. The main rea...

How can service providers shift into the center of the smart home experience?

According to research from Parks Associates, the majority of American consumers (60%) buys or leases their residential gateway from their internet service provider (ISP). However, existing gateways ar...

Roku and Amazon Fire TV Continue to Gain Market Share; Chromecast and Apple TV Fall Behind

Roku continues to be the market leader for streaming devices, but Amazon’s Fire TV devices have made significant inroads over the last year, according to a report released by market research firm Park...

Pay TV Companies Are Losing Ground To OTA

The latest Parks Associates study is out, and it has more bad news for traditional pay TV companies. Once again, satellite and cable companies are seeing losses. And it’s not just streaming services t...