ZigBee Poised To Be Big Hit, Report Says

ZigBee, a short-range wireless technology that is near to having a certified standard, is set to be widely successful, according to a report released Wednesday by West Technology Research Solutions.

ZigBee is expected to be used for applications such as remote sensors that can help manage building infrastructure such as HVAC systems.

"Being more of a convenience technology than a wireless one, ZigBee stands to offer the consumer a simple way to control their environment," Kirsten West, a principal analyst for the firm, said in a statement. The cost savings is potentially enormous when you can control energy usage on an almost real-time basis."

While there isn't uniform agreement about the final shape of the 802.15.4 standard, West's analysis indicated that ZigBee is a strong enough technology with strong enough backing to be reach the status of a standard before long. The ZigBee Alliance, which has more than 100 member companies, has been actively pushing the standard through the standard-setting process, which is expected to conclude early next year.

ZigBee is ideal for applications such as remote sensors because it requires less bandwidth and uses less power than other wireless technologies such as Bluetooth.