Last week, Apple joined the Thread Group, suggesting that Apple is interested in using the IEEE 802.15.4-based protocol in its HomeKit smart home platform. This week, we spoke to Cees Links, GM of Qorvo’s Wireless Connectivity business unit, about what this might mean for the industry. Links was CEO of GreenPeak, a specialist in Zigbee chips that Qorvo acquired in 2016 for $118.7mn, and was very involved in the development and commercialization of WiFi and the launch of the WiFi Alliance. He’s been around the block, and Riot has spoken with the Zigbee advocate a number of times. Since Thread appeared, those conversations have often concerned the likelihood of a merger between Thread and Zigbee, given the amount of overlap…