Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc.'s Google and Amazon.com Inc. — three of the biggest providers of smart-home and voice-assistant technology — are joining forces to make internet-connected homes easier to set up and safer to use.
The rivals announced Wednesday that they're working with the Zigbee Alliance — a foundation that promotes standards for the "internet of things" — and its members, including Samsung Electronics Co., Somfy SA and IKEA, on a new standard that will ensure their products work with one another.
More parts of the home can now be controlled by voice-activated speakers or remote apps, from thermostats to lights and even refrigerators.