Following the Thread group member meeting held in Porto, Portugal, it seems like a perfect time to give insights into the recently released Thread 1.4 spec and certification program.
Thread is a robust, secure and low-power mesh network designed to seamlessly enable a diverse ecosystem of IoT devices, systems and services to be more sustainable, secure and reliable. Thread uses open and proven IP standards and is an agnostic network layer for application layer technologies. For the Smart Home industry, Matter is a key application layer protocol that supports Thread, and the number of Matter with Thread devices on the market has increased significantly, with new devices released almost weekly
With the adoption of Thread in Matter and HomeKit devices, and deployment of these devices into people’s homes, the Thread Group identified a few areas of which are now addressed in the release of Thread 1.4.The table below provides a snapshot of these enhancements and what they deliver.
| Thread 1.4 New Feature | Benefits |
| Credential Sharing |
Delivers a simpler set up and more reliable, scalable and secure experience.
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| Cloud Connectivity |
Thread 1.4 Border Routers will provide a standardized path to the Internet for a more reliable internet connection and enhanced device performance. |
| Thread Over Infrastructure | Thread Border Routers can use Ethernet or Wi-Fi links as paths for Thread packets to extend the range of Thread networks and improve connectivity. |
| Enhanced Network Diagnostics |
Standardized method for Thread devices to provide network configuration and status data to facilitate debug and diagnostics, resulting in a more robust network and device performance with lower customer service costs.
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| Secure Remote Commissioning at Scale |
Targeted for professional installations and commercial building scenarios, this feature makes it easier to plan, install, and robustly operate larger Thread networks.
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NXP offers a wide range of Thread products and training material. Visit NXP’s Thread page for more information.
Since the announcement of Thread 1.4 in January, I along with other Thread Group representatives supported many media and analyst briefings about Thread 1.4 and these enhancements resonated very strongly. Companies who attended last week’s Thread Group Member Meeting were also enthusiastic about deploying Thread 1.4 in their product portfolio in the coming months.
NXP’s MCX W71 802.15.4 (Thread, Zigbee) and Bluetooth LE MCU and RW612 tri-radio MCU (Wi-Fi, 802.15.4, Bluetooth LE) were both built for Thread use cases and applications. These wireless MCUs currently support Thread 1.3, and we are looking forward to rolling out Thread 1.4 certifications for these products by end of the year.
It’s an exciting time in the smart home and building IoT space with use case driven technologies like Thread and Matter becoming widely adopted by developers, professional installers and consumers.
Sujata Neidig has over 30 years of experience in the semiconductor industry and is currently Director of Marketing for Wireless Connectivity where she drives product marketing and standards efforts for IoT connectivity. She also represents NXP on the Thread Group and Connectivity Standards Alliance’s Board of Directors as well as serving as Thread Group’s VP of Marketing. She is based in Austin, TX.