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13 THE SUM OF SMARTS Digi XBee3 ™ Series programmable modules take smart to a whole new level. Building on industry- leading embedded technology, the Digi XBee3 Series offers design freedom with easy-to-add functionality and flexible wireless connectivity. Smart Sized Digi XBee3 Series modules deliver advantages in every class—size, weight, and power. It's the ideal micro-size for compact and portable applications. Smart Programmability With enhanced MicroPython programmability, dual- mode radio flexibility, and Digi Remote Manager, device management and configuration has never been easier. Smart Architecture With one socket—and the largest selection of global protocols and frequencies—Digi XBee3 Series module architecture can quickly enable and easily scale cellular connectivity and compatibility. Smart Reliability Always on, always connected, always up-to-date, always accurate. Customers worldwide depend on Digi stability for high-quality manufacturing and long product lifecycles. Smart Security Digi TrustFence security framework, identity, and data privacy features are built in to Digi XBee3 modules using more than 175 controls to protect against new and evolving cyber threats. Smart ROI From edge computing to future migration, Digi XBee3 Series modules offer compact connectivity that can reduce costs, accelerate time to market and extend product lifecycles. delivered to the user. Any barriers to its use have been removed in Bluetooth 5.0. In addition to Bluetooth's short range, beacons can send only very short messages—too short to deliver long URLs—and even though beaconing doesn't require authentication (as beacons transmit but don't receive data), without mesh networking large groups of beacons are not configurable. All of this is rectified in Bluetooth 5.0, so it's likely that beacons will be more widely deployed and promoted, and more applications will make use of them. ABI Research and IHS Research both predict Bluetooth 5.0 and its IoT-bolstering capabilities will reach five billion by 2021 and three billion by 2017, respectively. Another highlight is the IPv6 over Low-power Wireless Personal- Area Network (6LoWPAN). Standardized in 2003, 6LoWPAN has demonstrated some significant advantages over Zigbee, Z-Wave, and other options: Notably, it operates with any solution based on 802.15.4 using a very simple bridge or with any devices within an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network such as Bluetooth or Ethernet. To compete, Zigbee and Z-Wave need complex application layer gateways. With 6LoWPAN, every node in the network has its own IPv6 address, freeing the network to connect to the Internet using open standards. IPv6 and Bluetooth are the new players to watch as IoT evolves in the coming years. Challenges IoT System Manufacturers Face Although 6LoWPAN solves the competing standards issue, home automation designers are still faced with a selection challenge: That is, what components and systems will maintain longevity as new solutions come into the marketplace at breakneck speed? Ultimately, all new home automation solutions should address both mains-powered and battery-powered devices, should be manufacturer and product agnostic, and should communicate using narrow and wide bandwidths. Not only should these solutions address concerns regarding constant and consistent updates but also regarding the potentially long line of legacy solutions that will need support. What's Happening Now? Today, and for many years to come, home automation manufacturers will use multiple connectivity solutions in their products. In fact, it's likely that the number will rise rather than fall in the near future. The winners in this dilemma will be manufacturers of IoT radios, RF front ends, and controllers that support multiple standards. Likewise, smart designers will need to employ a single device or set of devices that support multiple product lines while simultaneously future-proofing their offerings. With all that said, the fact remains that design and manufacturing will ultimately become more complicated as selection, configuration, and interoperability attempt to address the fragmented IoT landscape.

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