The Internet of Things Moves Forward

More devices are taking advantage of Internet connectivity now than ever before, including some that have no business having a connection to the Internet whatsoever. While there are some practical uses for connective technology on devices on security systems, thermostats, and vehicles, others simply can’t be justified. Even blenders and refrigerators have access to wireless communication nowadays. 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 is made up of the multitude of devices out there that have some sort of connective features. In many cases, these devices actually find their way onto your business’ network, whether you want them to or not. Therefore, you need to have a game plan to handle potential Internet of Things devices on your network, both now and in the future. Of course, it’s also important to start thinking about the future of the Internet of Things, as remaining cognizant of the places this technology is headed can help you better prepare for it.

In fact, some Internet of Things devices can provide a considerable benefit for your organization. We’ll provide some examples of how industry professionals believe that 2018 will see the Internet of Things 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 that 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 the Internet of Things devices were being used to collect and disseminate information. While this remains true today, there is 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 that 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 in 2018? k_Street Consulting, LLC 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 (202) 640-2737.