Access to Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ programs will deliver Wi-Fi’s trademark user experience and consumer confidence in smart home and Internet of Things products
Austin, Texas, September 22, 2015 – Wi-Fi Alliance® is introducing a new membership category designed to enable an even wider range of companies to offer products carrying the industry-leading Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval. The new Implementer Member class will address the needs of companies who do not specialize in developing connectivity technologies, but who want to deliver connected products with certified interoperability and security protections in categories such as smart home and Internet of Things.
With many companies now adding intelligence and connectivity to products not historically thought of as high-tech, the breadth of Wi-Fi® industry stakeholders has continued to grow. Implementer membership in Wi-Fi Alliance is intended for companies that value certified interoperability and consumer confidence, and who want to focus on other aspects of product development more closely related to their line of business. Implementer Members will be able to certify products for Wi-Fi interoperability, legacy compatibility, and secure operation with billions of devices in the installed base at an entry-point level of membership investment.
Wi-Fi Alliance Implementer Members may include in their products unmodified Wi-Fi modules or systems certified by other Wi-Fi Alliance members, and those products may use the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo and be listed in the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Product Finder. Implementer Members are not eligible to contribute to the development of Wi-Fi technology, marketing, and regulatory programs.
“Manufacturers in the Internet of Things and smart home industries increasingly rely on Wi-Fi to connect their products, and interoperability for those products remains as important as ever,” said Wi-Fi Alliance president and CEO Edgar Figueroa. “The Implementer membership will ensure that the terrific Wi-Fi user experience of the last 15 years extends to these new device categories and market segments, and that buyers will only need to look for the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED seal of approval when they shop.”
The number of connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices will grow to 38.5 billion in 2020. To support that growth, Wi-Fi Alliance will soon expand its industry’s portfolio of solutions for products in the smart home and burgeoning IoT market. One Wi-Fi innovation on the horizon will address use cases requiring the lowest power consumption including wearables, sensor networks, and industrial automation. Wi-Fi Alliance is also developing a new secure and simple way to connect and configure devices that do not have a display or input mechanisms, as is the case with many smart home devices today.
"As IoT becomes an increasingly important part of companies' strategies moving forward, the number of devices and vendors is expanding rapidly," said Steffen Sorrell, senior analyst at Juniper Research. "Technology is extending beyond traditional goods to major appliances, personal health devices, and other electronics, but interoperability among these products remains a key part of shaping the future of the smart home."
Wi-Fi Alliance member companies have developed and launched more than 20 certification programs and certified more than 25,000 products. The world-class certification program assures that products meet the highest connectivity standards and offer sustainable solutions – enabling products with longer lifespans like refrigerators, home security systems, and other appliances to integrate with the billions of user-facing devices already in use, and an exploding array of Wi-Fi smart home devices coming to market. As more traditional products expand their connectivity capabilities, Wi-Fi Alliance will continue to provide the best user experience with Wi-Fi products and services. For additional information on our Implementer membership, please visit http://www.wi-fi.org/become-a-member.
About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is a global non-profit industry association – our members are the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. The members of our collaboration forum come from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem and share a common vision of connecting everyone and everything, everywhere. Since 2000, the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, industry-standard security protections, and the latest technology. Wi-Fi Alliance has certified more than 25,000 products, delivering the best user experience and encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets. Today, billions of Wi-Fi products carry a significant portion of the world’s data traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications.
Media contacts:
Elliott Suthers
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 6