Question about AT Commands

[WillHuang]

I'm very new to IoT and implementing IoT based projects, but I noticed that a lot of wireless modules (bluetooth, ble, wifi, cellular, ect..) usually contains user-friendly interfaces via the AT commands.  My question is, is it usually the norm for companies to implement IoT solutions using AT Commands?

[kkessler]

I would say that commercial product would not go the AT command set route. The ESP8622 comes with firmware that implements AT Commands to make it easy to use with the Arduino, but that is like a VW Bug dragging a Ferrari along to listen to the radio. The processor in the ESP8266 is far more powerful than the Atmel in the Arduino. I've also run across Bluetooth modules implemented in the same way, but a commercial product would go with something like one of the Nordic Semiconductor's NRF51822, with their ARM core. In general, when you are using the AT Command set, you are using 2 microcontrollers (1 running the AT Commands and one running your code), and it is cheaper and simpler to just code directly on the uC in the radio chip, and in that case you are just making library calls to control the radio, which look nothing like the AT commands.