The standard will make it possible for top large appliance brands like Samsung and LG to control each other’s products. For example, Samsung’s SmartThings app can be now be used to control a LG fridge. The standard is the work of the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA), an industry body begun in 2021.
Like the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), which oversaw the development of the Matter standard, HCA is a coalition of the same tech companies who are likely to use the standard, with Samsung as one of its founding members.
HCA 1.0, or HCA Interface Specification 1.0, was launched this January. This past week HCA announced that members - including Samsung and LG – will roll out their implementations in Q4 in eight countries: Korea, the US, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Turkey.
“It is exciting to see trusted brands from different parts of the globe come together to establish an interoperable and more energy-efficient smart home,” said Dr Emir Lasic, principal analyst for home appliances at Omdia.
“HCA’s focus on Major Home Appliances, HVAC systems and TVs will provide consumers with simple, neutral, and interoperable ways to control their home appliances with a single app. We look forward to seeing the adoption of this technology in the marketplace.”
HCA 1.0 provides a framework for cloud-to-cloud (C2C) interoperability and HCA said adoption of the standard should pave the way for energy savings in the future.
HCA said that the standard will allow consumers to control their smart appliances, regardless of the manufacturer, through their existing appliance and HVAC apps. No special hub is required, rather an update on a mobile app will enable most smart appliances in the home, dependent on manufacturer rollout by product, geography and market.
“HCA member companies are taking a thoughtful approach towards interoperability of everyday essential products already in our homes,” said Yoon Ho Choi, HCA president. “I look forward to seeing our member companies adopting the specification starting this year and HCA-enabled technology being available to consumers in the near future.”