What is IoT? Massive ways in which the Internet of Things will change our future

The Internet of Things solutions have quickly transformed into one of the hottest development prospects in the digital landscape as of today. The need to stay connected at all levels means that the need to develop IoT services has become a must in today’s day and age. By keeping devices connected through a common IoT platform, a host of options can be availed which will prove to be an immense he when it comes to the advancement of technology across multiple platforms. In fact, the entire concept of IoT solutions includes a bunch of amazing facts that will surely leave you reeling in shock when you find out about them. Here are four surprising facts about IoT you probably didn’t know about.

• The concept of IoT has been around for a very long time. In fact, one of the most prominent examples of IoT has to be the existence of ATMs, which have been around since 1974. Since that time, technology has developed at an unprecedented rate, and now IoT solutions are poised to transform the current digital landscape through the innovation that is enabled by the adoption of these services.

• More objects were connected to the internet than people, back in 2008. And now, as of 2020, more than 50 billion devices in total will be connected to the internet. Out of these, a whopping 6.1 billion are predicted to be mobile devices only, which is a staggering figure in itself.

• Smart home technology will become the norm in the future – and the major driving force has been the extensive development of IoT services. Companies like Google, Amazon and Samsung have already started developing and rolling out devices that will accommodate smart home technology in the form of Amazon Alexa, Google Home and the Samsung SmartThings Hub. It’s only a matter of time before our society is entirely connected to the internet through IoT services and the subsequent widespread adoption of smart home technology.

• Self-driving technology has become a reality with the advent of IoT solutions. The concept of automated driving seemed almost unreachable just a few years ago, but with extensive usage of the Internet of Things solutions, this concept has quickly transformed from a mere possibility into a fully-fledged reality. It’s assumed that by 2020, around 250 million vehicles will be connected to the internet, which will help in the seamless integration of self-driving technology. Google itself is spearheading the development of this technology and is clocking in around 15,000 automated kilometres per week.

Here are the three major industries that will be impacted by the advent of these IoT solutions:

• Healthcare: The applications of IoT technology will help the healthcare industry immensely. Smart buildings that will adapt to a patient's behaviour and ailment is just one example of many in which IoT can benefit this industry. Also, by hooking the various facilities used in a particular sector to a common IoT platform, the medical staff can be immediately notified in case of any debilitating problems that might arise with these facilities.

• Retail: Smart Retail – two words that can adequately encompass how IoT solutions are augmenting the functionality of the retail industry. A significant way in which IoT is affecting the retail sector in today's day-and-age by tracking the consumer journey from the ground up, and ensuring that no person faces any unnecessary roadblocks in their buyer's journey.

• Transportation: There are a multitude of ways in which the transportation sector can be affected by the IoT technology. Take the example of OTA software, which can connect multiple vehicles to a common IoT platform that will help monitor these vehicles and assure that no discrepancy is missed.

It has become pretty evident that IoT is on the verge of completely revamping the professional industry landscape. So, it’s highly recommended that you adopt this technology sooner rather than later if you want to stay ahead of the curve. Who knows – you might’ve already taken the first step when it comes to your journey to become an IoT-enabled company.