New Protocol ? I don't think so..
There are plenty of existing protocols for automation and fuck Google in the ass (with broken glass) for trying to add another. What we need is to decrease the number of protocols and standardize, not increase them. This "news" (or it's content) was also posted 4 hrs ago at PC World.
I have been in Automation for 24 years so my opinion has some validity.
"Thread" will not catch on for the reason that it is not a wireless mesh type STANDARD like Zigbee is. IE if one device can't communicate directly, it will patch through another that still can. There are hundreds of existing building automation products that use Zigbee RIGHT NOW.
All it will take is to try to use "Thread" in a older building with diamond mesh plaster lath and with no repeaters or mesh arrangement they will fail to work at ALL. Wifi does not travel well room to room in such an environment and neither will Thread. And for the record only the main interface to the internet will need an IP address. Everything else either has a MAC or a subnet. Nothing more is needed.
There are not any current products beside Googles that offer "Thread" so none of the many home automation companies out there will touch it. A complete offering of products such as Pulse Input, Digital Input, Analog Input and corresponding Output signal types is required. There are complete lighting, thermostat, intrusion alarm, fire alarm and BMS systems available right now. And that is only some of the certified stuff.
For Andrew Jones who says there are no home products that use Zigbee, try here. He's WRONG.
http://www.zigbee.org/Products/ByStandard/ZigBeeHomeAutomation.aspx
Thread is just a one trick pony created over a bunch of drinks by people who don't know anything about building automation systems and can't stand any competition so the morons created another protocol.