#ICYMI the Z-Wave Alliance recently announced that the Z-Wave Long Range specification for the European market has been completed and is on track to be made available to members in an upcoming release. The completion of the specification marks a huge step forward for the Z-Wave Alliance as a global entity as well as a fantastic recent example of how Z-Wave is constantly searching for ways to support members as they seek to expand into new markets. Most recently, the Z-Wave Team sat down with Leon Kralj, Chief Technology Officer of the Shelly Group. to hear about their very exciting first quarter of 2024.
While Shelly Group is a relatively new member of the Z-Wave Alliance, their sub-brand Shelly Qubino has been member for over a decade. With a rich heritage, Shelly Group is no newcomer to the IoT market as their portfolio of products spans over 100 markets and they’re showing no signs of slowing down. One of their latest markets? Bringing their tailored solutions to the U.S.
Joining the Z-Wave Alliance was a key part of the team’s strategy according to Leon, “In order to create cutting edge products, it is very important for us to be part of one of the most forward-looking and innovative organizations in the sphere to share experience and vital know-how.”
Being an active member of the Z-Wave Alliance also provided additional support for product development as the team prepared for their US debut. “As members of the Z-Wave Alliance, we enjoy many benefits and our partnership is extremely helpful in terms of launching and marketing new certified products, receiving support at trade fairs, and having the opportunity to attend and actively participate at Z-Wave member events to network with other partners of the Alliance,” said Leon.
As a result, Shelly Group enjoyed a very successful launch to the U.S. Market at CES 2024 debuting two new smart plugs, one for the U.S. market and one for the U.K.; a series of AC- and DC-powered controller modules; and a collection of smart switches designed to operate inside a home’s breaker box all utilizing the Z-Wave 800 series chipset.
Looking forward, the planned product portfolio gets even more impressive as their team begins planning to support Z-Wave Long Range devices (something they talked about as part of the Long Range Fireside Chat at CES 2024). Leon was quick to call out all the benefits of utilizing Z-Wave in their product development.
“Z-Wave is perhaps one of the most reliable of all the early protocols in the smart home, which remains extraordinarily relevant today. Z-Wave has many pros, among which high interoperability and availability of devices, easy installation and network management, easy to achieve energy efficiency that helps consumers save power and protect the environment, Z-Wave infrastructure is more scalable than traditional networks without the additional costs, it is also known for its reliable connections providing solid performance,” he said.
Looking at the rest of 2024 the Shelly Group is poised to continue to showcase their offerings at industry shows like CEDIA Expo. For Z-Wave Members looking to find similar success and maximize the benefits of their membership at a tradeshow, ask the Z-Wave Team about participating in the Connectivity Pavilion at CEDIA Expo 2024 or in the Z-Wave Ballroom Suite at CES 2024.
