Future of IoT: Future Applications of Internet of Things

 

Future of IoT

The Internet of Things or IoT has changed the technological landscape of the world. No longer is it just your smartphone, tablet, and laptop that connects to the internet. Today, there is a growing list of devices that connect to the internet and each other. There are more things connected than there are people in this world. Advancements in technology will make more products and devices, both in our work environment and homes, a part of the IoT revolution. The possibilities are endless. So what do the experts think about the future of IoT? Where does it go next? Here are some of the predictions experts have made about it.

The future of IoT

1. It was estimated that in 2018 there were 7 billion IoT devices. Experts predict that by 2025, there will be approximately 21 billion IoT-connected devices in the world. IoT is not going anywhere and is here to stay.  In 2020, the covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a virtual halt, but it barely made a dent in the world of IoT connections. In fact, according to market insights firm, IoT Analytics, 2020 saw the predominance of IoT-connected devices such as smart home devices, connected cars, and connected industrial equipment, over non-IoT connected devices, such as laptops and smartphones.
2. According to experts, by 2030, 60% of the world’s population will live in major cities, putting a tremendous strain on city infrastructure and resources, and increasing air and traffic pollution. But what can be done? The answer might lie in Smart Cities and this is where IoT comes in. Smart Cities use a high degree of information and communication technology to provide citizens with a better quality of life and reduced consumption of resources. IoT will be increasingly used to monitor and collect data while remotely managing and automating processes to increase efficiency and sustainability.
   
   
3. IoT will connect more devices, and unfortunately, leave more devices vulnerable to cybercrime attacks. The world’s first IoT malware was introduced in 2016 which brought some of the world’s largest and most well-known websites and services to a stop. Unless standardisation of security protocols is set in place across all IoT devices, there is a good chance that such incidents won’t be a one-off. IoT-connected devices collect staggering volumes of data that will be under the threat of extortion, sale, corruption, theft, or destruction.
   
   
4. The future of IoT and smart cars looks very bright. Smart or connected cars are the bread and butter of IoT in the automotive industry. Today, IoT integration has exploded in the market. We will see more manufacturers connecting their cars using various navigation apps such as Waze, music apps such as Spotify, and more. Manufacturers will use IoT to collect and analyse real-time data on the performance of the vehicle.  In parts of the world, self-driving cars are a reality that was once only dreamed of. Navigant Research predicts that by 2025, there will be over 1.2 billion connected vehicles in the world. It is predicted that soon IoT won’t be relegated to cars but will grow to include public transportation such as buses and trains.
   
   
5. Ericsson has predicted that by 2024, 5G will be used by over 40% of the world’s population, while cellular IoT connections will cross 4 billion users. So it seems highly likely that major wireless carriers will supply and promote 5G networks. 5G promises greater connectivity at higher speeds. This will allow even more IoT connections than ever as it increases overall bandwidth exponentially. Increased use of 5G networks will drive innovation and so, increase the demand for IoT devices. It is predicted that the manufacturing, automotive, and construction sectors will witness great opportunities for 5G to be used in tandem with IoT technology.
   
   
6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT are the two most revolutionary technologies right now. The combination of the two is now called the Artificial Internet of Things (AIoT). It represents IoT that is enabled with AI which helps devices and process information faster and more like humans. The data collected by AIoT devices will help facilitate machine learning. AIoT is extremely powerful and will likely shape our world in new and wonderful ways that we have not even thought of today. The scope of AIoT is tremendous and we are sure to see many fantastic innovations in the future.
   
   
7. IoT will be increasingly used in the medical field where it will be used to monitor patients in real-time. We will see devices that will alert patients and doctors when medical intervention is necessary and perhaps, even call for emergency services. IoT will help improve the accuracy of the treatment and also increase the productivity and efficiency of medical professionals.
   
   
8. The future of IoT and its applications will see a strengthening of security. IoT will have an increasing impact on our lives and the world.  There will be growing calls for the standardisation of IoT across devices so that there can be a seamless integration. Moreover, there will be a huge demand for increased security so that IoT devices are not left vulnerable to cyber-attacks. We will likely see increased legislation, regulation, and privacy protection in the future.
   
   
9. Many IoT devices are placed in home environments and cannot have security software installed in them, making them particularly at risk for attacks. A secure home router may be the one thing that protects your IoT devices. A router is the entry point of the internet into people’s homes. Router manufacturers will sit up and take note of the continuing need for security. It is quite likely that this need will translate to cutting-edge technology being used to create more secure and smarter routers.

Summing up

The future of IoT is boundless. Advances made in wireless technology, artificial intelligence, industrial IoT will serve to connect the world, even more transforming our lives in ways we may not comprehend even now. IoT offers us a fresh new way of looking at the world. And we are witnessing the start of just what is possible with this technology.

Sources:

1. https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-iot-5-predictions-for-the-future-of-iot.html
2. https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2020/11/25/5-iot-trends-to-watch-in-2021/
3. https://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/internet-of-things/at-12-billion-iot-connections-to-surpass-non-iot-devices-in-2020/79319301
4. https://dzone.com/articles/the-future-of-iot-15-trends-to-expect-in-the-forth
5. https://iot-analytics.com/state-of-the-iot-update-q1-q2-2018-number-of-iot-devices-now-7b/
6. https://www.finextra.com/blogposting/17931/what-is-the-role-of-iot-in-smart-cities
7. https://www.forbes.com/sites/pikeresearch/2016/06/13/the-future-is-now-smart-cars/?sh=9b62cff509c5
8. https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/how-5g-iot-technologies-are-driving-the-connected-smart-vehicle-industry/articleshow/74567877.cms
9. https://www.5gamericas.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/5G_Americas_White_Paper_on_5G_IOT_FINAL_7.16.pdf
10. https://www.ericsson.com/en/press-releases/2018/11/5g-estimated-to-reach-1.5-billion-subscriptions-in-2024--ericsson-mobility-report
11. https://www.networkworld.com/article/3584385/what-5g-brings-to-iot-today-and-tomorrow.html
12. https://www.intellias.com/the-future-of-iot/
13. https://towardsdatascience.com/iot-and-ai-a-powerful-evolution-for-future-generations-78ac07a9c3b