Till now, we thought Android was meant for mobile phones, tablets, and smart TVs only.
But now it appears that the scenario is going to change. Google has just completed the testing of Android Things, a revolutionary technology that will bring Android to the Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Do you know what this means?
The same operating system that powers your phone will power your street light, cable modem, and your parking meter as well.
You certainly might’ve not thought so, right? Well, there are many things that you don’t know about this next-gen IoT concept from Google.
How about we reveal some of them? Have a look:
1. The concept is years oldWhile Android Things is the talk of the town these days, the concept is not that new. It was announced back in Google I/O 2015 conference under the codename Brillo. It was in implementation and testing phase in all these years.
The fact it’s in news these days is because Google has successfully developed its first Android things project, a smart display that can be operated by using the voice.
2. The system requirements will be smallThe operating system for Android Things has been designed to work on a RAM as low as 32-64MB. The processor requirements will be minimal too.
So, we can speculate that the cost of implementing Android Things will be relatively less.
3. Android Things Devices will use a special protocol for communicatingIf you’ve watched 2015 I/O conference of Google, you’ll realise that CEO Sundar Pichai had announced a language called Weave.
The device will use it to communicate with each other. One thing worth noting is that the protocol is already being used in Philips Hue and Samsung SmartThings. Many other companies are like TP-Link, First Alert, and LiFX also have plans to implement it.
Given this, there’s a chance that upcoming Android Things devices will be compatible with other smart gadgets as well.
4. With technology, developers can create wonders
Reading What Android Things is capable of will blow your mind. With little efforts, any developer can make his/her own Google-powered smart speaker or smart display.
But that’s just a beginning. Here’s what some of the app development experts in Singapore have to say:
Once developers have mastered Android Things device development, the sky is the limit to their creativity. They can develop just about any IoT device and when they’re done doing so, Google will offer support.
Should we be concerned about security?To be honest, we should be.
Here’s the reason:
Every device that’s connected to the Internet is prone to hacking. It might be late to know when a random hacker breaks into your smart gadget and misuse it.
However, we can never enjoy a technology fully without a doubt in security.
The best suggestion is to be prepared for the worst.
Aftermost, what do you think of Android Things? Let us know in comments!
