Samsung has integrated Sigfox’s Internet of Things protocol into its Artik platform and invested in the company, as it looks to bolster its low-power and low-cost communication offering.
The manufacturer launched its IoT platform earlier this year in a bid to help foster development of enterprise, industrial and consumer applications. Artik includes a range of modules, software, development tools, drivers, security features and cloud connectivity.
It said that by bringing Sigfox into the fold, developers will be able to produce low-cost and energy efficient alternative to other methods of building M2M connectivity. Samsung said Sigfox-based products will be crucial for the bulk of small message communication, allowing developers access to the network through a cloud connectivity subscription.
Young Sohn, President and Chief Strategy Officer, Samsung Electronics, said: “At Samsung, we believe that the Internet of Things will deliver huge benefits – to society and to us as individuals. With the introduction of the Samsung Artik platform, we set out to accelerate innovation in hardware, software and services for the IoT, to allow the technology to more quickly tackle global challenges.
“As part of our Samsung Artik ecosystem, Sigfox technology represents a key step forward for the IoT, as it makes it simpler for developers to create low-cost, low-power devices and services that easily connect to the network.”
Sigfox today signed a deal to bring its IoT network to Belgium-based electricity and natural gas company ENGIE. Last month it extended its IoT network to the Czech Republic.
Ludovic Le Moan, CEO of Sigfox, said: “By integrating SIGFOX technology in Artik and including it in the platform’s ecosystem, Samsung is fuelling innovation and making it very easy for developers to create new applications and services that will help deliver the potential of the Internet of Things. Moreover, this integration positions Sigfox technology as the ‘fourth protocol’ for Internet connectivity, joining GSM, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.”