Unlikely to be LoRaWAN on several counts. They claim they will publish the protocol shortly…LoRaWAN already published 
They claim hubs (Gateways?) will have range up to 1 mile. LoRa/LoRaWAN capable of much more…unless the systems are deliberately crippled wrt range to assist density building vs pure range. Though one of the example use cases and devices looks small and may have poor performing RF subsystem explaining reduced range and they may be managing expectations. Lots of online comments around fact focus on 900mhz…wither 868 for Europe, 920/926 for APAC? (though some speculation that recent EU start of potential harmonisation for >900mhz may be a door opener for smart city & consumer use long term). More likely it’s just a generic ref to 900mHz…+/-. Though unlikely to be LoRaWAN its pos they are pushing own protocol over LoRa phy…that might explain Barrons! - a chip sale is a chip sale though likely SMTC more in favour of building a harmonised eco-system vs allowing/ supporting large scale fragmentation.
Fact is this is validating use cases and concepts supported by LoRa/LoRaWAN therefore giving greater market confidence and chance of success…as we know all boats float on a rising tide (unless scuttled or holed below the water line 
humm I wonder if anyone has thought of putting a LoRa enabled float-switch in bilge of the boat to detect water ingress and potential of sinking? 
). Another possibility is starting from another base and adopting/adapting…poss Weightless like variant? However with their own internal development group (Sidewalk Labs,?) in the Alphabet empire more likely it is YALPWP (yet another low power wireless protocol!) and grief don’t we have enough of those already? 
All just my 2penneth worth & MHO…
Still …it’s been amusing to see some of the fake news and false descriptions of LoRa & LoRaWAN capabilities and other technologies that have crept out of the wood work trigger by this announcement