News Releases & Briefs

Silicon Labs Unveils Beta Program for Thread Software
New Program Provides Selected Customers and Partners with Early Access to IP-Based Mesh Networking Stack
Providing early access to Thread software through beta programs will encourage early market adoption of this next-generation IP-based protocol stack for the IoT.

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Silicon Labs (NASDAQ: SLAB), a leader in high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs, today introduced the creation of a Thread beta program for selected customers and ecosystem partners, enabling them to accelerate their product development plans for IP-based mesh networking. As a founding member of the Thread Group, Silicon Labs has been a major contributor to the definition and development of the new IP-based mesh networking software stack for the Connected Home.

“We have developed the Thread networking protocol according to the latest draft specification and now have multi-node networks up and running at key customers using our existing EM35xx wireless SoCs,” said Skip Ashton, vice president of software engineering at Silicon Labs. “We are excited to be able to extend our leadership in mesh networking solutions through activities such as this beta program and our continued investment in ZigBee® technology.”

Customer requirements and the rapid expansion of applications in the Internet of Things (IoT) market led to the creation of the Thread networking protocol, a new standards-based, IP-addressable, low-power mesh networking solution. Silicon Labs joined the Thread Group as a founding member to contribute mesh networking expertise and deliver software solutions that satisfy these market needs.

“As the industry’s leading supplier of ZigBee SoCs and an innovator in wireless mesh networking technology, Silicon Labs is well-positioned to drive the development of Thread software while continuing to support the growing ZigBee installed base, totaling more than 45 million units in 2013,” said Mareca Hatler, director of research at ON World Inc. “Providing early access to Thread software through beta programs will encourage early market adoption of this next-generation IP-based protocol stack for the IoT.”

Silicon Labs is committed to supplying best-in-class Thread and ZigBee-based connectivity solutions into the future. The company plans to support both mesh networking protocols using a common portfolio of ARM® based wireless SoCs and to deliver technology that will enable current and future customers to deploy one or both software technologies on those SoCs using simple over-the-air uploads.

For more information about Silicon Labs’ wireless connectivity solutions for the Internet of Things, visit www.silabs.com/wireless.

Silicon Labs

Silicon Labs (NASDAQ: SLAB) is a leading provider of silicon, software and system solutions for the Internet of Things, Internet infrastructure, industrial control, consumer and automotive markets. We solve the electronics industry’s toughest problems, providing customers with significant advantages in performance, energy savings, connectivity and design simplicity. Backed by our world-class engineering teams with unsurpassed software and mixed-signal design expertise, Silicon Labs empowers developers with the tools and technologies they need to advance quickly and easily from initial idea to final product. www.silabs.com

Cautionary Language

This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on Silicon Labs’ current expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of factors that could impact Silicon Labs’ financial results and cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, please refer to Silicon Labs’ filings with the SEC. Silicon Labs disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Note to editors: Silicon Labs, Silicon Laboratories, the “S” symbol, the Silicon Laboratories logo and the Silicon Labs logo are trademarks of Silicon Laboratories Inc. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.

Follow Silicon Labs at http://news.silabs.com/, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/siliconlabs and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/siliconlabs.

Explore Silicon Labs’ diverse product portfolio at www.silabs.com/parametric-search.

Contact:

Silicon Labs
Dale Weisman, +1-512-532-5871
dale.weisman@silabs.com