Samsung Electronics has launched ARTIK - a new open platform that promises to make the development of connected devices faster and easier. ARTIK includes three circuit boards, software support, developer tools and embedded encryption for security.

Samsung introduced three new modules: ARTIK 1 measures just 12 mm by 12 mm, and is intended for use in wearables and end nodes. It includes a 9-axis motion sensor and Bluetooth low energy connectivity and can run for one week on a single charge, according to Samsung. ARTIK 5 runs a faster 1-gigahertz dual-core processor and on-board storage. And lastly, ARTIK 10, which is powered by an octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, plus Wi-Fi and Zigbee connectivity. It can also handle video encoding and playback.

Samsung intends for ARTIK to compete with similar platforms from rivals Qualcomm and Intel. Plus, ARTIK can boost Samsung's semiconductor business, which the company is relying on to prevent its earnings from sliding further as other competitors batter its smartphone business.

Samsung will not just sell ARTIK to other companies, and plans to use the platform to speed up the development of its own smartphones, televisions and home appliances. Samsung's President and Chief Strategy Officer Young Sohn said that all Samsung product divisions will now use ARTIK technology instead of choosing their own chips and software, according to The Wall Street Journal.

"By leveraging Samsung's high-volume manufacturing, advanced silicon process and packaging technologies, and expensive ecosystem, ARTIK allows developers to rapidly turn great ideas into market leading IoT (Internet of Things) products and applications," Sohn further said, according to Engadget. 

Aside from ARTIK, chief executive of SmartThings Alex Hawkinson also announced SmartThings Open Cloud, which would help developers create apps for their devices, according to TechCrunch. Samsung acquired SmartThings last August.