How Big is IoT? 20.6 Billion Connected Devices In 2020

DETROIT – This new wave of connectivity is going beyond laptops and smartphones, it’s going towards connected cars, smart homes, connected wearables, smart cities and connected healthcare. Basically a connected life. According to Gartner report, in 2020 connected devices across all technologies reached 20.6 billion.

HP did a small survey in which they estimated the rise of connected devices over the years and the results are surprising. Are we moving towards a fully automated world?

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These devices will bridge the gap between physical and digital world to improve the quality and productivity of life, society and industries. With IoT catching up Smart homes is the most awaited feature, with brands already getting into the competition with smart appliances. Wearables are another feature trending second on the internet. With launch of Apple Watch and more devices to flow in, these connected devices are going to keep us hooked with the inter-connected world.

A survey conducted by KRC Research in UK, US, Japan and Germany the early adopters of IOT has revealed which devices are the customers more likely to use in the coming years. Smart Appliances like thermostat, smart refrigerator to name a few are most liked by the customers and are seem to change the way we operate.

While there are rumors about security issues on using of IoT devices, the National Institute of Standards and Technology provides expert recommendations to manufacturers and federal agencies concerning effective cybersecurity. The NIST publications provide guidance to the IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020 intended to ensure IoT device designers and the government are on the same page regarding the cybersecurity for IoT devices being used by federal agencies.

If you are wondering what impact will IoT have on the economy then for your information as per the Cisco report IoT will generate $14.4 trillion in value across all industries in the next decade. Yes, you are thinking correctly IoT will bring a wave, nobody can foresee. If you are willing to be at the forefront and enter the fast-growing IoT world, it would be helpful to use IoT consulting services. Now, to give you a glimpse of how applications of IoT will transform our lives I have listed down few areas where IoT is much awaited and companies are preparing to surprise you with smart devices.

10 Real World Applications of IoT

Smart Home

With IoT creating the buzz, ‘Smart Home’ is the most searched IoT associated feature on Google. But, what is a Smart Home?

Wouldn’t you love if you could switch on air conditioning before reaching home or switch off lights even after you have left home? Or unlock the doors to friends for temporary access even when you are not at home. Don’t be surprised with IoT taking shape companies are building products to make your life simpler and convenient.

Smart Home has become the revolutionary ladder of success in the residential spaces and it is predicted Smart homes will become as common as smartphones.

The cost of owning a house is the biggest expense in a homeowner’s life. Smart Home products are promised to save time, energy and money. With Smart home companies like Nest, Ecobee, Ring and August, to name a few, will become household brands and are planning to deliver a never seen before experience.

But, how should you choose the best smart home devices? Here’s how:

Invest In High-Quality Smart Home Devices: Only buy from trusted smart home device manufacturers to ensure high-quality products. Make your home fully automated by installing smart garage door openers, smart blinds solutions, and smart home sensors. Buy smart home devices from companies that can provide technical support in terms of installation and repairs.
Check The Features And Benefits: Check and compare the features of smart home products to ensure the investment is worth. For instance, smart door locks may come in smartphone app recognition, biometric fingerprint scan, or key code. Choose the feature that’s perfectly suited to your lifestyle.

Read more to find out the best smart devices.

Wearables

Wearables have experienced a explosive demand in markets all over the world. Companies like Google, Samsung have invested heavily in building such devices. But, how do they work?

Wearable devices are installed with sensors and softwares which collect data and information about the users. This data is later pre-processed to extract essential insights about user.

These devices broadly cover fitness, health and entertainment requirements. The pre-requisite from internet of things technology for wearable applications is to be highly energy efficient or ultra-low power and small sized.

Check the following wearable device innovations nowadays:

Smart Jewelry: Some examples of smart jewelry include smart rings, bracelets, and bangles that obtain health-tracking data. You can review the data later on using a smartphone.
Smart Clothing: This innovative wearable provides deeper insights and more body data than smaller wearables. Smart clothing can be used for advanced tracking for lifestyle improvement and medical purposes.
Implantable Sensors: Wearable implantable sensors are placed beneath the skin, such as sensor-containing pills to monitor blood pressure. The patient swallows these pills and wears an external device to monitor the generated data within the body.
Head-Mounted Displays: These HDMs are worn on the head, providing a display in the wearer’s field of view, without looking down at a smartwatch or phone display. It provides information through virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) setting.

Here are some top examples of wearable IoT devices that fulfill these requirements.

Read more to find latest news making headlines on smart wearables.

Connected Cars

The automotive digital technology has focused on optimizing vehicles internal functions. But now, this attention is growing towards enhancing the in-car experience.

A connected car is a vehicle which is able to optimize it’s own operation, maintenance as well as comfort of passengers using onboard sensors and internet connectivity.

Most large auto makers as well as some brave startups are working on connected car solutions. Major brands like Tesla, BMW, Apple, Google are working on bringing the next revolution in automobiles.

Read more to know about the updates on connected cars.

Industrial Internet

Industrial Internet is the new buzz in the industrial sector, also termed as Industrial Internet of Things ( IIoT ). It is empowering industrial engineering with sensors, software and big data analytics to create brilliant machines.

According to Jeff Immelt, CEO, GE Electric, IIoT is a “beautiful, desirable and investable” asset. The driving philosophy behind IIoT is that, smart machines are more accurate and consistent than humans in communicating through data. And, this data can help companies pick inefficiencies and problems sooner.

IIoT holds great potential for quality control and sustainability. Applications for tracking goods, real time information exchange about inventory among suppliers and retailers and automated delivery will increase the supply chain efficiency. GPS asset tracking is highly beneficial for various industries, like tracking fleet and logistics services. According to GE the improvement industry productivity will generate $10 trillion to $15 trillion in GDP worldwide over next 15 years.