6 Key IoT Trends and Predictions for 2019

The Internet of Things (IoT), once a niche technology for startups, is now a technology on which billion-dollar enterprises are building their futures. IoT has already changed the way we live. There’s a great deal on the horizon. Here are the six top IoT:

1. Edge Computing

Devices will become more and more powerful enabling local data processing and AI capabilities. It will reduce data transfers volumes and cloud dependencies and will provide more flexibility and agility for business. Edge computing will significantly affect those industries where immediate action is needed based on complex real-time data analysis (manufacturing, public security) and where cloud connectivity may be restricted (shipping and logistics).

2. The Security Race Heats Up

The race will be on to develop the most secure IoT solutions: a key step towards the transformation of the industry. Industry experts will focus on tackling the major security concerns and vulnerabilities surrounding IoT that have thus far subdued widespread adoption.

3. Big Players Will Dominate

We will see intensified competition from industry giants such as AWS, Microsoft, and Google, as large IoT platforms become the norm. These big players will acquire a large portion of the market and will continue to increase their footprint organizations flock to them for the promise of simplification at scale. While big IoT platforms battle for market share, we’ll see smaller players focus on niche areas to survive (e.g. data movement, industry-specific challenges, certain types of devices, etc.).

4. Smart Device Applications Will Continue To Rise

Across industries, smart devices will become decisively more popular. There will be a sharp rise in smart devices in a wide range of areas including automotive, transportation, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing solutions.

5. Automotive Business Models Will Shift

Data is becoming the lifeblood of the automotive industry. The automotive industry will continue progressively to adopt IoT technologies to enable vehicles to seamlessly gather and monitor data and communicate with smart city services and other vehicles. As a result, the automotive industry will shift further toward data-driven business models. We can see the shift specifically with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) that are investing significant amounts of money in innovative startups to analyze and process data.

6. The Era of 5G Dawns

5G networks—already one of the most anticipated technology trends in the industry—will usher in a new era for IoT. They will support an increasingly interconnected world that will drive IoT innovation further. It will allow gathering, managing, and analyzing data almost in real-time. 5G will also significantly broaden the IoT market into areas where time and bandwidth speed are crucial, unlocking unrealized revenue and potential.