5 Exciting Internet of Things (IoT) Trends in 2019

Internet of Things (IoT) is predicted to hit the mainstream by 2020, and 2019 is paving the way for it with increased research, investment, and implementations of IoT. We saw lots of IoT surprises in 2018 with 7 billion connected IoT devices by the year-end. As per the predictions by Gartner, as reported by ET, “The number of connected things in use will go up to 25 billion by 2021, from 14.2 billion in 2019”.

So, it’s a definite fact that with tens of billions of data-emitting devices connected to the Internet, there will be great changes in the way we live, work, relax, and commute.

Read some of the top IoT trends and predictions in 2019. Here you go…

1. The Rise in Bundled Service Offerings

According to the 2019 IoT Predictions by Forrester Research, bundled service offerings will catalyze a sleepy consumer IoT market in 2019. This year will see major players, such as utilities, insurance, grocery, and food companies, coming up with solution bundles comprising all the required hardware, software & expertise. These user-case specific IoT bundles will offer ongoing and niche services enabled by smart devices.

The Forrester analysts write, “In 2019, we’ll see players ……. offer subscription offerings such as Verizon’s Hum, an automobile service that blends roadside assistance, maintenance monitoring, and driver monitoring using two in-car devices for $20 per month — eschewing the upfront IoT device costs.” These developments will help consumers to derive larger value built from IoT devices and associated services.

2. Rapid Emergence of Smart Cities

The concept of smart cities is getting unprecedented attention in this age of the Internet of Things. The concept is no longer confined to smart homes, smart buildings, etc. alone. It now spans smart neighbourhoods and smart cities studded with smart sensors. IoT innovation will help urban areas in improving their services, reduce costs, and enhance communication and interaction.

Smart traffic signals that act wisely as per diverse traffic densities across different timings and days will be a valuable addition in cities. Monitoring traffic incidents in real-time will help drivers to divert their routes in the most optimal ways to lessen traffic congestion. Tiny cars and hover skates are anticipated to be launched in more numbers to minimize traffic cramming. Smart common areas in cities, energy-efficient buildings, reliable public conveyance systems, enhanced public safety mechanisms, etc. are some of the nearly limitless potentials of the Internet of Things to make our cities smart.

3. Profound Penetration in the Healthcare Industry

Healthcare and medical sectors are in for some exciting enhancements in the coming years as observed from the IoT trends. Besides revolution in treatment and identification of ailment, IoT is helping us to have enhanced patient experience including reduced emergency/admission waiting time through bed-tracking technology, remote health monitoring systems, asset (staff members, patients, and hardware) tracking services etc. With smart pills, wearable body area sensors, electronic health records, and advanced patient care, IoT is already sweeping across the healthcare industry.

IoT in healthcare

4. IoT to Boost Manufacturing Industry

The huge rate of IoT adoption in industrial and manufacturing sectors is expected to be one of the greatest IoT trends in the coming years. Sensors, RFID tags, and smart beacons have already made a radical presence in the manufacturing sector. There will be an unparalleled increase in the number of connected devices influencing every element of the production process.

The manufacturing industry will become smarter with connected intelligent systems making efficient use of AI and machine learning. An increasing number of manufacturing companies are digitizing their supply chain management resulting in enhanced visibility and control over inventory; reduced operation expenses, delays, and equipment downtime; and improved customer satisfaction and retention. As moving with the latest IoT trends, the manufacturing sector should also focus on a coherent data strategy.

5. Increased Security and Data Privacy

Data protection in this era of the Internet of Things is of great significance. The Internet is no longer a service that you can avail only through computers but has grown to become an ecosystem churning out a staggering amount of personal data. The combined growth of IoT development and edge computing has made it difficult for businesses to manage the limitless data generated outside the datacentre. The year 2019 is predicted to be a year of encryption and data misuse, and hence, organizations are alerted to adopt intensive security and data privacy measures. Gartner stresses the need for social, ethical and legal IoT. The coming years should focus more on increased security at all endpoints. They need to ensure that the new and existing IoT devices are more secure.

Ensure End-To-End Security for IoT Devices

Conclusion

Let’s keep our fingers crossed as we anticipate a better world that is well-equipped to coordinate and connect all the different pieces of equipment in a secure manner. The best is yet to come as numerous out-of-the-box thinking from IoT innovators and entrepreneurs are surely on the way.