Why the Internet of Things is Here to Stay

There are a lot of connected devices nowadays, but not all of them have a very practical purpose. Some of the more practical uses of connected technology range from security systems to thermostats, but other technologies can’t necessarily be justified so easily. Why would a blender need to connect to the Internet? There are many more that are being added every day, which is why a lot of companies are concerned about this rise in connected technology.

The Internet of Things accounts for connected devices that have some sort of connective features. It’s not out of the question for these devices to find themselves on your business’ network, with or without your permission. Therefore, it’s critical that you have a plan in place to control how their activity influences your company. If you don’t, you could be risking your business’ integrity.

Of course, it helps to know where the Internet of things will be heading in the near future--particularly if you want to prepare adequately for it. Let’s take a look at what trends the IoT will bring in the future, and how you can prepare yourself for them.

The Internet of Things will be Commercialized
There has been a new initiative to further commercialize Internet of Things data in European countries. As reported by Forbes, the European Commission is going to follow in the footsteps of the United States by commercializing data collected with Internet of Things devices. In fact, 45% of data analytics decision makers already use this kind of IoT data, whereas only about 35 percent of French and 38% of companies in France and Germany do so.

Demand for Wearables will Dwindle, but Marketers will Benefit
Even though 12 million smartwatches will likely be sold by the end of 2018, the folks over at Forrester predict that wearables will remain a niche with limited practical uses. Even if they are relatively popular for their user-friendly interfaces, there will be limited vertical growth in more professional settings. For an example of just how user-friendly and convenient this technology can be, look to Amazon’s Alexa.

IoT will be Included in Design and Integration Planning
Prior trends showcased that Internet of Things devices could be used to collect and disseminate information. While this is still true today, there will be a greater focus on designing around these capabilities. Devices will still collect data in much the same way, but there will a greater emphasis placed on the software used behind the scenes that processes it and turns it into something that can glean insights. A similar approach should also be done for your infrastructure so that you don’t have to worry so much about managing individual devices.

How is your business preparing for the Internet of Things in 2018? Computerware can help. To learn more, reach out to us at (703) 821-8200.