The Internet of Things (IoT) is heading, well, everywhere. So, what better company to begin representing the times than Google? Google has its place in virtually everything web-related, so this should come as a shock to no one. Plus, the company has been very open about its smart home ambitions for the year of 2015, so, to become a front runner in the IoT, Google will be developing its very own operating system, Brillo, to help devices communicate well with each other. Now, what type of devices will we expect this OS to be compatible with?

Looks like the software will be aimed at low-power light bulbs, doorbells, and other basic IoT devices that make your living space more connected and convenient. It will likely be based on Android, yet, not in its current form. It needs to become better equipped for 64MB or 32MB (of memory) devices, which will boot up, and use a system-on-a-chip (SoC) to handle input and output, as well as communicate over a network (Ars Technica). Once Google lightens up its Android OS for these tasks, everything should be squared away. Brillo will also be offered free to OEMs in efforts to accomplish this.

That and other information will be launched at next weeks Google I/O Conference for software developers. It is estimated that the IoT will create a surge in networked devices, from 900 million in 2009 to 26 billion units by 2020 (Cnet). Although it has not been dire, an operating system really is what the IoT has been needing, especially to eliminate compatibility issues among device brands. Folks could just go out and purchase their internet-ready device, and as long as it had its “Brillo” stamp of approval, they could walk away with confidence it would sync with their home. Could this be a monopolization the smart device industry? Maybe, but that wont be the first time Google was a leader in everything tech.