Google on Tuesday launched a preview of its new Internet of Things (IoT) operating platform, Android Things, which it said will allow developers to quickly build smart devices using Android APIs and Google services.
According to a post on the Android Developers Blog, the new platform incorporates feedback received on its Project Brillo IoT operating system and will include tools such as Android Studio, the Android Software Development Kit, Google Play Services, and Google Cloud Platform. Google said it will also offer Developer Preview updates in the coming months to provide the infrastructure necessary to securely push OS patches, security fixes, a developer’s own updates, built-in Weave connectivity, and more.
On that last point, Google noted it is also updating the Weave platform to help facilitate cloud connectivity for all types of devices so they can interact with services like Google’s Assistant. According to Google, Weave provides a ready-made cloud infrastructure so developers don’t have to invest in their own. The company said device makers including Philips Hue and Samsung SmartThings already use Weave, while several others like Belkin WeMo, Honeywell, Wink, LiFX, TP-Link, and First Alert are implementing it. Additionally, Google said it is working on stitching Weave and Nest Weave together to allow “all classes of devices to connect with each other in a secure and reliable way.”
“This is just the beginning of the IoT ecosystem we want to build with you,” Google wrote in the blog post.
Piggybacking on that announcement, Qualcomm on Tuesday said it plans to work with Google to add support for the new Android Things operating system in its Snapdragon processors.
“We anticipate Android Things running on Snapdragon processors will offer developers familiar connectivity environments, including cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth; support for a wide array of sensors; camera, graphics, multimedia, and rich UI capabilities; hardware-based security; Google services and cloud integration; test and optimization tools, and more – allowing for rapid development of scalable, cost-effective and security-focused IoT solutions,” Qualcomm said.
Though Android Things is currently in a developer preview stage, Qualcomm noted the platform is expected to be released more broadly on Snapdragon processors next year.