More devices are taking advantage of Internet connectivity now than ever before, including some that have no business having a connection to the Internet. While there are some practical uses for technology on devices such as security systems, thermostats and vehicles, others simply can’t be justified, i.e. blenders and refrigerators. These types of connected devices are part of the reason why so many businesses are worried about the Internet of Things.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is made up of the multitude of devices out there that have some sort of connectivity features. In many cases, these devices actually find their way onto your business’s network. Therefore, you need to have a strategy to handle potential IoT devices on your network. It’s also important to start thinking about the future of the Internet of Things, as remaining aware of the places this technology is headed can help you better prepare for it.
Some IoT devices can provide a considerable benefit for your organization. We’ll provide some examples of how industry professionals believe that 2018 will see the IoT growing into a major part of the world economy.
The Internet of Things Will Be Commercialized
A new initiative in European countries could hint toward a further trend in the value of data provided by IoT devices. According to Forbes, the European Commission will follow in the footsteps of the United States by commercializing data collected by the Internet of Things. 45 percent of American decision makers already commercialize IoT data, whereas only about 35 percent of French and 38 percent of German decisions makers currently do.
Wearables Will Dwindle, but Marketers Will Rejoice
Wearables might seem to be all the rage, but the industry experts at Forrester predict they will remain a niche and nothing more. Even though there will be roughly 12 million smartwatches sold by the end of 2018, it’s likely that they will remain a user-friendly device rather than a practical one, which limits its potential to truly change the industry. Meanwhile, the explosive success of devices like Amazon’s Alexa have driven the demand for connected technology that has a practical use.
IoT Devices Will Be Planned for in Design and Integration
Previous trends saw that Internet of Things devices were being used to collect and disseminate information. While this remains true today, there’s going to be more of a focus on designing around this capability. Devices still collect information, but there needs to be a software behind the scenes that is processing this data, analyzing it and turning it into something usable. This same solution also needs to be implemented into your business workflow so you don’t have to spend so much time micromanaging each individual IoT device.
How is your business going to leverage the Internet of Things? Advisors Tech can help you integrate any number of devices into your infrastructure in a safe and efficient way. To learn more, reach out to us at 844.671.6071.