By Ulrike Dauer
Germany's Robert Bosch GmbH, Sweden's ABB Ltd. (ABB.SK) and
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) have set up a joint venture that will
develop an open-software platform for smart home devices and
applications aimed at facilitating data exchange between different
types of devices.
The companies signed the shareholder agreement for the
Germany-domiciled joint venture on Nov. 27, and expect the business
to start operating at the beginning of next year, pending antitrust
approvals.
The platform will facilitate data exchange between different
manufacturers' devices in the home, including washing machines,
heating units, lamps, window blinds, and smart phones and
tablets.
The venture will also develop services on the platform for
household devices in areas such as energy management, security
technology, and entertainment.
The companies plan to invite appliance electronics
manufacturers, home automation vendors, and service providers to
collaborate.
Financial details of the joint venture weren't disclosed.
Write to Ulrike Dauer at ulrike.dauer@wsj.com
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