As businesses discover new use cases and develop the infrastructure to support more IoT applications, the entire Internet of Things continues to evolve. Let’s look at some of the current trends in that evolution.

Table Of Contents

• Top 5 IoT Trends
  1. IoT Cybersecurity Concerns Grow
  2. IoT Advancements In Health Care
  3. 5G Enables More IoT Opportunities
  4. Demand For Specialized IoT Data Management
  5. Bundled IoT For The Enterprise Buyer
• The Future Of IoT
• Bottom Line: IoT Trends

Top 5 IoT Trends

IoT devices can help companies use their data in many ways, including generating, sharing and collecting data throughout their infrastructure. While some companies are leaping into IoT technology, others are more cautious, observing from the sidelines to learn from the experiences of those pioneering IoT.

When looking through these five key trends, keep in mind how IoT devices affect and interact with company infrastructure to solve problems.

1. IoT Cybersecurity Concerns Grow

As new IoT solutions develop quickly, are users being protected from cyber threats and their connected devices? Gabriel Aguiar Noury, robotics product manager at Canonical, which publishes the Ubuntu operating system, believes that as more people gain access to IoT devices and the attack surface grows, IoT companies themselves will need to take responsibility for cybersecurity efforts upfront.

“The IoT market is in a defining stage,” Noury said. “People have adopted more and more IoT devices and connected them to the internet.” At the same time they’re downloading mobile apps to control them while providing passwords and sensitive data without a clear understanding of where they will be stored and how they will be protected—and, in many cases, without even reading the terms and conditions.

“And even more importantly, they’re using devices without checking if they are getting security updates…,” Noury said. “People are not thinking enough about security risks, so it is up to the IoT companies themselves to take control of the situation.”

Ben Goodman, SVP of global business and corporate development at ForgeRock, an access management and identity cloud provider, thinks it’s important that we start thinking of IoT devices as citizens and hold them accountable for the same security and authorization requirements as humans.

“The evolution of IoT security is an increasingly important area to watch,” Goodman said. “Security can no longer be an afterthought prioritized somewhere after connectivity and analytics in the Internet of Things. Organizations need to start treating the ‘things’ in the Internet of Things as first-class citizens.”

Goodman said such a measure would mean that non-human entities are required to register and authenticate and have access granted and revoked, just like humans, helping to ensure oversight and control.

“Doing this for a thing is a unique challenge, because it can’t enter a username or password, answer timely questions, or think for itself,” he said. “However, it represents an incredible opportunity to build a secure network of non-human entities working together securely.”

For more information on IoT and security: Internet of Things (IoT) Security Trends

2. IoT Advancements In Healthcare

The healthcare industry has benefited directly from IoT advancements. Whether it’s support for at-home patient care, medical transportation, or pharmaceutical access, IoT solutions are assisting healthcare professionals with more direct care in situations where they cannot provide affordable or safe hands-on care.

Leon Godwin, principal cloud evangelist for EMEA at Sungard AS, a digital transformation and recovery company, explained that IoT not only makes healthcare more affordable—it also makes care and treatment more accessible and patient-oriented.

“IoT in healthcare will become more prevalent as healthcare providers look to reduce costs and drive better customer experience and engagement,” Godwin said. “This might include advanced sensors that can use light to measure blood pressure, which could be incorporated in watches, smartphones, or standalone devices or apps that can measure caloric intake from smartphone cameras.”

Godwin said that AI is also being used to analyze patient data, genetic information, and blood samples to create new drugs, and after the first experiment using drones to deliver organ transplants across cities happened successfully, rollout is expected more widely.

Jahangir Mohammed, founder and CEO of Twin Health, a digital twin company, thinks that one of the most significant breakthroughs for healthcare and IoT is the ability to constantly monitor health metrics outside of appointments and traditional medical tests.

“Recent innovations in IoT technology are enabling revolutionary advancements in healthcare,” Mohammed said. “Until now, individual health data has been mostly captured at points in time, such as during occasional physician visits or blood labs. As an industry, we lacked the ability to track continuous health data at the individual level at scale.

“Advancements in IoT are shifting this paradigm. Innovations in sensors now make it possible for valuable health information to be continuously collected from individuals.

Mohammed said advancements in AI and Machine Learning, such as digital twin technology and recurrent neural networks, make it possible to conduct real-time analysis and see cause-and-effect relationships within incredibly complex systems.

Neal Shah, CEO of CareYaya, an elder care tech startup, cited a more specific use case for IoT as it relates to supporting elders living at home—a group that suffered from isolation and lack of support during the pandemic.

“I see a lot of trends emerging in IoT innovation for the elderly to live longer at home and avoid institutionalization into a nursing home or assisted living facility,” Shah said. Through research partnerships with university biomedical engineering programs, CareYaya is field testing IoT sensors and devices that help with everything from fall prevention to medication reminders, biometric monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure—even mental health and depression early warning systems through observing trends in wake-up times.

Shah said such IoT innovations will improve safety and monitoring and make it possible for more of the vulnerable elderly population to remain in their own homes instead of moving into assisted living.

For more information on health care in IoT: The Internet of Things (IoT) in Health Care

3. 5G Enables More IoT Opportunities

5G connectivity will make more widespread IoT access possible. Currently, cellular companies and other enterprises are working to make 5G technology available in more areas to support further IoT development.

Bjorn Andersson, senior director of global IoT marketing at Hitachi Vantara, a top-performing IoT and  IT service management company, explained why the next wave of wider 5G access will make all the difference for new IoT use cases and efficiencies.

“With commercial 5G networks already live worldwide, the next wave of 5G expansion will allow organizations to digitize with more mobility, flexibility, reliability, and security,” Andersson said. “Manufacturing plants today must often hardwire all their machines, as Wi-Fi lacks the necessary reliability, bandwidth, or security.”

But 5G delivers the best of two worlds, he said—the flexibility of wireless with the reliability, performance, and security of wired networks. 5G provides enough bandwidth and low latency to have a more flexible impact than a wired network, enabling a whole new set of use cases.

Andersson said 5G will increase the feasibility of distributing massive numbers of small devices that in the aggregate provide enormous value with each bit of data.

“This capacity to rapidly support new apps is happening so early in the deployment cycle that new technologies and infrastructure deployment can happen almost immediately, rather than after decades of soaking it in,” he said. “With its widespread applicability, it will be feasible to deliver 5G even to rural areas and remote facilities far more quickly than with previous Gs.”

For more: Internet of Things (IoT) Software Trends

4. Demand For Specialized IoT Data Management

With its real-time collection of thousands of data points, the IoT solutions strategy focuses heavily on managing metadata about products and services. But the overwhelming amount of data involved means not all IoT developers and users have begun to fully optimize the data they can now access.

Sam Dillard, senior product manager of IoT and edge at InfluxData, a data platform provider for IoT and in-depth analytics use cases, believes that as connected IoT devices expand globally, tech companies will need to find smarter ways to store, manage and analyze the data produced by the Internet of Things.

“All IoT devices generate time-stamped (or time series) data,” Dillard said. “The explosion of this type of data, fueled by the need for more analytics, has accelerated the demand for specialized IoT platforms.”

By 2025, around 60 billion connected devices are projected to be deployed worldwide—the vast majority of which will be connected to IoT platforms, he said. Organizations will have to figure out ways to store the data and make it all sync together seamlessly as IoT deployments continue to scale at a rapid pace.

5. Bundled IoT For The Enterprise Buyer

While the average enterprise buyer might be interested in investing in IoT technology, the initial learning curve can be challenging as IoT developers work to perfect new use cases for users.

Andrew De La Torre, group VP of technology for Oracle Communications at cloud and data management company Oracle, believes that the next big wave of IoT adoption will be in bundled IoT or off-the-shelf IoT solutions that offer user-friendly operational functions and embedded analytics.

Results of a survey of 800 respondents revealed an evolution of priorities in IoT adoption across industries, De La Torre said—most notably, that enterprises are investing in off-the-shelf IoT solutions with a strong desire for connectivity and analytics capabilities built-in.

Because of specific capabilities, commercial off-the-shelf products can extend IoT into other industries thanks to its availability in public marketplaces. When off-the-shelf IoT aligns with industrial needs, it can replace certain components and systems used for general-use practices.

While off-the-shelf IoT is helpful to many companies, there are still risks as it develops—security risks include solution integration, remote accessibility and widespread deployments and usage. Companies using off-the-shelf products should improve security by ensuring that systems are properly integrated, running security assessments, and implementing policies and procedures for acquisitions.

The Future Of IoT

Customer demand changes constantly. IoT services need to develop at the same pace.

Here’s what experts expect the future of Iot development to look like:

Sustainability and IoT

Companies must embrace IoT and its insights so they can pivot to more sustainable practices, using resources responsibly and organizing processes to reduce waste.

There are multiple ways a company can contribute to sustainability in IoT:

• Smart energy management: Using granular IoT sensor data to allow equipment control can eliminate office HVAC system waste and benefit companies financially and with better sustainability practices.
• Extent use style: Using predictive maintenance with IoT can extend the lifespan of a company’s model of manufacturing. IoT will track what needs to be adjusted instead of creating a new model.
• Reusing company assets: Improved IoT information will help a company determine whether it needs a new product by looking at the condition of the assets and use history.

IoT and AI

The combination of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT can cause industries, businesses and economies to function in different ways than either IoT or AI function on their own. The combination of AI and IoT creates machines that have smart behaviors and supports strong decision-making processes.

While IoT deals with devices interacting through the internet, AI works with Machine Learning (ML) to help devices learn from their data.

AI IoT succeeds in the following implementations:

• Managing, analyzing, and obtaining helpful insights from customer data
• Offering quick and accurate analysis
• Adding personalization with data privacy
• Providing assistance to use security against cyber attacks

More Use of IoT in Industries

Healthcare is cited as one of the top IoT industries, but many others are discovering how IoT can benefit their companies.

Agriculture

IoT can be used by farmers to help make informed decisions using agriculture drones to map, image, and survey their farms along with greenhouse automation, monitoring of climate conditions, and cattle monitoring.

IoT enables agriculture companies to have more control over their internal processes while lowering production risks and costs. This will reduce food waste and improve product distribution.

Energy

IoT in the energy sector can improve business performance and customer satisfaction. There are many IoT benefits for energy industry, especially in the following areas:

• Remote monitoring and managing
• Process optimization
• Workload forecasting
• Grid balancing
• Better decision-making

Finance

Banks and customers have become familiar with managing transactions through many connected devices. Because the amount of data transferred and collected is extensive, financial businesses now have the ability to measure risk accurately using IoT.

Banks will start using sensors and data analytics to collect information about customers and offer personalized services based on their activity patterns. Banks will then better understand how their customers handle their money.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing organizations gather data at most stages of the manufacturing process, from product and process assistance through planning, assembly and maintenance.

The IoT applications in the manufacturing industry include:

• Production monitoring: With IoT services’ ability to monitor data patterns, IoT monitoring provides optimization, waste reduction and less mundane work in process inventory.
• Remote equipment management: Remote work has grown in popularity, and IoT services allow tracking and maintaining of equipment’s performance.
• Maintenance notifications: IoT services help optimize machine availability by receiving maintenance notifications when necessary.
• Supply chains: IoT solutions can help manufacturing companies track vehicles and assets, improving manufacturing and supply chain efficiency.

For more industries using IoT: IoT in Smart Cities

Bottom Line: IoT Trends

IoT technology reflects current trends and reaches many areas including AI, security, healthcare, and other industries to improve their processes.

Acknowledging IoT in a business can help a company improve a company structure, and IoT will benefit a company’s infrastructure and applications.

For IoT devices: 85 Top IoT Devices

Evolving Applications of Low-Code/No-Code

The LC/NC market is expected to grow 20% in 2023 alone and reach an estimated value of $26.9 billion. This technology has gained popularity in recent years as a means of closing skill gaps and making app and web development more efficient. However, it still lacks the flexibility of custom apps designed more traditionally by skilled developers.

Current applications for LC/NC development sit somewhere between off-the-shelf and custom solutions. How will these applications change in the next few years? Here are some of the areas in which developers can expect to see change.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Robotic Process Automation is one of today’s most common applications for Low-Code/No-Code platforms. LC/NC is a great fit for RPA because it usually requires simplifying something that already exists, such as automating a specific workflow.

Low-Code/No-Code developers already know what they need from an app they want to build, so they can shortcut the process without significant User Experience (UX) design. The LC/NC approaches give new developers the tools to build and integrate a straightforward RPA app in the minimum turnaround time possible.

In the future, LC/NC platforms may include more advanced RPA capabilities, and may be able to integrate data from more sources or handle more tasks in a single app. This particular use case may lean more toward No-Code platforms, since automation will soon be necessary for more jobs. As more people without coding experience will seek the ability to use automation, the demand for RPA-specific No-Code platforms will increase.

Simple Web and App Development

The main apps and tools for which Low-Code/No-Code approaches are currently ideal are typically simple in scope and limited in distribution. Most often, a user develops an app solely for in-house use, for their own personal use, or for a one-time event or conference.

For example, Low-Code/No-Code is commonly used for replacing legacy systems. Digital transformation spending is expected to total $3.4 trillion worldwide by 2026. Businesses must evolve their operations and technology to keep up, but that can be difficult without a large development team. Low-Code/No-Code platforms allow companies to upgrade technologies and workflows without in-house developers.

Low-Code/No-Code development platforms aren’t intended for large-scale applications, nor are they ideal for supporting hundreds of users or managing massive quantities of data. In the future, this could change as the technology becomes more capable. For example, Artificial Intelligence (AI) could make it easier to create complex apps without requiring coding knowledge.

Challenges and Innovations in Low-Code/No-Code

How will the capabilities of Low-Code/No-Code platforms evolve in the future? What new applications are emerging? They will increasingly shift toward zero necessary IT involvement in the development process as AI makes it possible for nearly anyone to create original, customized code.

Generative AI-Powered Coding

Generative AI is changing the game in app and web development. Platforms like ChatGPT are opening the door for anyone to try developing their own app or website with zero prior experience. Users can type in a text prompt explaining what they want, and ChatGPT will do its best to generate code that fits the bill. It can also help debug code that users copy and paste into the prompt window.

Of course, platforms like ChatGPT are not foolproof. They do make mistakes, and users have found flaws and gaps in AI-generated code. As of 2023, ChatGPT-4 excels with small, specific chunks of code but breaks down when asked to write an entire application. It can deliver customized code, but only piecemeal. Developers still need to know what’s required and how it fits with the rest of their apps.

Platforms like ChatGPT could evolve into full-scale app development tools in the future. In many ways, AI is the ultimate Low-Code/No-Code platform. Users type in what they want the code to do and let the AI do the rest. Businesses will likely be able to function with small teams of developers who verify and implement it.

Greater Emphasis on Cybersecurity

One of the pitfalls of today’s Low-Code/No-Code platforms is a minimal ability to customize security features. The lack of visibility into the coding going on behind the scenes simplifies development but blinds developers to potential security risks. Additionally, people with no coding knowledge or experience using LC/NC approaches  may not be aware of important security features they should have or red flags to watch out for.

In the future, Low-Code/No-Code platforms will see more emphasis on cybersecurity. For example, the Online Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP) has developed a framework of 10 key security protocols for Low-Code/No-Code apps. Developers can use it to learn about important security risks and features and how to address them in their development process.

The security options in Low-Code/No-Code platforms themselves will also grow in the years ahead. The global cost of cybercrime is expected to hit $11.5 trillion in 2023 and more than double that by 2027. There will be more demand for advanced security features as security threats grow. For example, developers might begin including AI threat-monitoring tools.

Clearer Intellectual Property Standards

Intellectual Property rights are a growing concern in coding and development, especially since AI can write functional code. When anyone can automate coding, who is really writing it? Who is the developer of new Low-Code/No-Code apps, and who has the IP rights to these programs and any profits made?

These questions must be resolved as Low-Code/No-Code platforms gain in popularity, particularly in the context of growing geopolitical complications surrounding IP rights. For instance, the war in Ukraine led Russia to implement a 0% license fee on IP content from “unfriendly countries” like the U.S. and European nations.

Code and apps can be subject to IP laws, not just content such as books and movies. Low-Code/No-Code platforms may soon be able to develop apps on the same level of customization and precision a professional developer could deliver, and the industry will need to decide who has the IP rights to these new apps—the people using the platforms, or those who designed them.

How Will Low-Code/No-Code Impact Developers?

Low-Code/No-Code technology’s role in the software development industry is also evolving. Everyone is wondering what the future holds for professional software developers today. The combination of AI and Low-Code/No-Code platforms leads many to wonder if they will become obsolete. While this will not happen anytime soon, the developer role is shifting.

Low-Code/No-Code platforms and AI like ChatGPT are tools, like any other technology. They can help developers do their jobs more efficiently and easily but cannot replace the expertise people can provide.

Resolving the skills shortage is one specific area where Low-Code/No-Code platforms will help developers. Coders and programmers are in high demand in all areas of computer science today.

For example, the shortage of cybersecurity professionals leaves many businesses ill-equipped to handle rising cybercrime rates. Similarly, over 37% of recruiters report struggling to find enough developers with the necessary skills for their businesses’ needs. However, young people continue to show a strong interest in computer science, indicating a growing talent pool.

Demand for software development skills continues to grow faster than the available talent pool can keep up with. Low-Code/No-Code platforms will help businesses fill those shortages. Smaller teams of developers can use them to work more efficiently and operate at the same level as a larger group.

Similarly, developers may not need to do much manual coding in the future. Their roles may shift toward designing, testing, and maintaining apps. Meanwhile, Low-Code/No-Code platforms and AI will do the bulk of the actual code-writing process. As a result, developers will be able to roll out apps faster and with less budget required.

Low-Code/No-Code Is Innovating Software Development

Low-Code/No-Code software development platforms are transforming how new apps, tools, and websites are created. Now anyone can get into software development, regardless of prior coding experience.

Low-Code/No-Code platforms will become more capable in the years ahead thanks to the advanced capabilities of AI models like ChatGPT. IP rights and cybersecurity will become important concerns as adoption grows. Professional developers will remain vital to the industry for the foreseeable future, although their roles will evolve to adapt to Low-Code/No-Code processes.

Manufacturers are jumping on board the IoT trend and have begun adding Internet connectivity to a host of products. A quick Internet search turns up countless of “smart” or “connected” products.

Many of them are consumer IoT devices in the home automation space, but the industrial Internet of Things device market is also picking up steam. Additionally, there are many companies offering components and boards for makers and inventors interested in creating their own IoT devices.

Table of Contents, Top IoT Devices:

• Home Automation IoT Devices
• Industrial IoT Devices
  
• Health and Fitness IoT Devices
• Miscellaneous IoT Devices
• Development Boards IoT Devices
• Virtual Reality and AR IoT Devices
• Bottom Line: The Importance of IoT Devices

For more information on IoT: Top 7 IoT Analytics Platforms

IoT Devices – About The List

For this IoT devices list, we focused on IoT devices that are particularly popular, interesting, or otherwise noteworthy. Please note that this is not a ranking; devices are arranged into categories and then alphabetically within each category. 

Top 85 IoT Devices

IoT devices can help not only businesses but consumers as well. From home automation devices to virtual reality, IoT can improve how people work and live. Here are the top 85 IoT devices:

Home Automation IoT Devices

Home automation IoT devices are gaining in popularity among consumers, due to the help they offer for a user’s home. From being able to order groceries online to managing smart homes, IoT devices can contribute to any home.

Amazon Dash Buttons

Amazon offers an assortment of buttons that will order additional supplies of commonly used household products directly from Amazon.com. There are buttons for toilet paper, goldfish crackers, soap, laundry detergent, trash bags, cleaners, Gatorade, soup, razors, beauty products, baby formula, and much more.

Amazon Echo

This smart home hub is essentially a speaker that can listen to users and respond to commands. It can play music, answer questions, read audiobooks, deliver traffic and weather reports, control lights and thermostats, order pizza, order an Uber, and much more.

Amazon Fire TV Stick

With the latest Fire Stick model that includes 4K streaming with Alexa voice remote, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is a streaming solution that meets many other household needs. Whether a user is ordering more detergent through their Amazon Prime shopping cart or pulling up live home security feeds on the TV, the Alexa-enabled Fire Stick gives a user access to more than their favorite TV shows and movies.

Awair

A good option for people with asthma or allergies, Awair is an air-quality sensor that can send smartphone alerts and recommendations for improving the indoor air quality. It also has programs for improving sleep and productivity.

Belkin WeMo

Belkin’s WeMo is a complete line of home IoT devices that include smart switches, cameras, lights, an air purifier, a heater, a slow cooker, a humidifier, and more. The company has partnerships with several other firms that allow end users to control a lot of different devices with one smartphone app.

Bitdefender BOX

This cybersecurity hardware is designed to unify and protect all of a user’s IoT devices, regardless of their native level of security and antivirus protections. The BOX application enables a user to set custom security settings for each of their devices, create profiles and identify strange devices in their network, and catch a snapshot of overall network activity at any given time.

Canary

This all-in-one home security system captures video and audio and sends alerts to a user’s smartphone. It automatically knows when they are home or away (no need to enter a security code), and a user can also view the live video feed from their phone.

Chamberlain MyQ

A user doesn’t have to buy a new garage door opener to control it with their smartphone. Chamberlain MyQ products allow a user to control their existing garage door with their iPhone or Android device.

Cinder

Cinder’s website describes this product as “a cross between sous vide, the high-end slow-cooking water bath method used by restaurant chefs, and the George Foreman grill.” It’s a countertop grill that connects to a user’s smartphone to make cooking fast and easy.

Eve

This line of home automation products works with Apple HomeKit to allow users to monitor indoor air, outdoor weather, energy consumption, and whether windows and doors are open or closed. The same company also offers a line of smart lighting products that can be controlled with Android or iOS devices.

GE Smart Appliances

GE makes quite a few different types of connected appliances, including wall ovens, ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, washers and dryers, water heaters, and air conditioners. Through GE’s WiFi Connect service and apps, consumers can control the appliances or receive alerts.

Honeywell Smart House Products

Honeywell also offers a huge lineup of products related to home automation and security. It includes thermostats, GPS asset tracking, locks, lighting, video surveillance, and more.

June Intelligent Oven

This countertop oven aims to be “more efficient than your conventional oven, more precise than your toaster oven, and way more intelligent than either.” It includes digital core temperature probes, a built-in digital scale, and a camera with a food recognition engine. The company is accepting pre-orders, and products are scheduled to begin shipping before the end of the year.

LG SmartThinQ

LG divides its SmartThinQ line of connected appliances into categories for the kitchen (ranges and refrigerators), living (washers, dryers, robotic vacuums, and air conditioners), and safety (robot vacuum doubles as a safety monitor with a video feed). They all integrate with the company’s smartphone app.

Nanit Plus Baby Monitor

Nanit Plus maintains the features of traditional baby monitors while adding several smart features to track a baby’s sleep patterns. The device includes sleep stats to track metrics like sleep onset, time asleep, visits, and overall sleep efficiency, helping parents to sleep coach with real insights. Another personalized feature is Memories, which gathers photos and videos in a sleep time capsule over time. This device works when the internet goes down and can be paired with other IoT devices, such as Amazon Echo.

Nespresso Prodigio

With this connected coffee maker, a user can use their smartphone to schedule coffee brewing, order supplies and receive maintenance alerts. The machine heats up quickly and uses single-serve coffee capsules.

Nest

Nest is best known for its Internet-connected thermostat, but it also makes smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and cameras. Its products also integrate with IoT home automation products from a variety of other vendors.

Neurio

With Neurio, homeowners can track their energy usage (or energy production if they have solar panels installed) from their smartphones. It takes a little work to install the device onto an electrical panel, but it can help users identify opportunities for energy savings in their homes.

Philips Hue

Philips offers a complete line of connected lighting products. It includes dimmers, light strips, switches, controllers, and more.

Piper

Piper incorporates both home security and a home automation hub. It has a motion sensor and video camera for security, and the smartphone app allows a user to control lighting and appliances. For added security, it can also integrate with door or window sensors.

Ring Doorbell

The Ring Doorbell doubles as a door answering device and an additional form of home security. With its built-in video camera, Ring senses and records motion near a door, allowing a user to communicate with their visitor in real-time or review the most important security footage later.

Roost

Roost’s most unique product is its connected battery. Designed for use in smoke detectors, this battery tells the user when it needs to be changed so that they don’t get those annoying chirps at three in the morning. The company also makes smart smoke alarms and water leak/freeze detectors.

Samsung SmartThings

Samsung’s SmartThings Line includes smart outlets, hubs, motion sensors, multipurpose sensors, arrival sensors, water leak sensors, and more. The company also sells a complete home monitoring kit that makes it easy to get started with home automation.

Schlage

Long known for its deadbolts and door knobs, Schlage is getting ready for the IoT era with two lines of smart home locks: Schlage Sense is a Bluetooth-enabled smart deadbolt that integrates with iOS devices, and Schlage Connect is a similar smart locking system that integrates with alarm and security systems.

Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed

This smart mattress was designed to automatically adjust to a person’s sleep patterns and to give them real-time data on the quality of their sleep. The 360 Smart Bed automatically adjusts temperature microclimates, firmness, position, and other features based on their movements and sleep cycle. With features like SleepIQ and Partner Snore technology, the 360 Smart Bed application also allows the user to track and improve their sleep health over time.

Sonos

Designed for music lovers, Sonos is a smart speaker system that they can install in a single room or throughout a house. Use the free smartphone app to control the music playing on the speakers—a user can even play different music in each room.

Whirlpool Smart Appliances

For now, Whirlpool’s only smart appliances are washers and dryers, but its website seems to suggest that it has plans to offer more appliances that can connect to smartphones and tablets. Interestingly, the washer and dryer can also connect to the Nest thermostat to help consumers save money on their energy bills.

Wink

Wink is a smart home hub that connects a lot of other IoT products from companies like GE, Nest, Philips, and Schlage. Control lighting, thermostat, door locks, appliances, blinds, and more from a single console.

For more on consumer IoT: IoT in Smart Cities

Industrial IoT Devices

Industrial IoT is made up of devices, applications, and networking equipment made to collect, monitor, and analyze data from industrial processes. Every industrial business can benefit from these devices. 

Aptomar

Safety is always a concern in the oil and gas industry. Aptomar makes IoT sensors and systems for detecting spills and increasing safety. The company also offers services for monitoring oil and gas facilities.

ATrack trackers

Focused on the transportation and logistics industries, ATrack offers GPS tracking for monitoring assets and vehicles. It supplies its technology to a variety of other manufacturers and tracking services.

Centrak

With Centrak’s low-energy Bluetooth beacons, companies can track the locations of employees, assets, customers, patients, and more in real-time. The service is focused primarily on the healthcare, retail, and manufacturing industries.

Bosch

Bosch has set its sights on becoming a leader in the IoT space. It manufactures sensors that go into other IoT devices as well as some smart home appliances. It also offers a complete cloud platform for building IoT applications.

CargoSense

The CargoSense solution includes sensors that can be included with product shipments to track temperature, humidity, shock, light, tilt, and pressure every five minutes. That data is tracked by an integrated analytics system that allows manufacturers and logistics companies to see what is happening with shipments at every point in the delivery process.

DorsaVi ViSafe

These wearable sensors track how employees are moving. The goal is to improve safety and reduce risk by helping prevent injuries. The company also offers similar technology that can be used by healthcare providers to help assess injuries and recommend therapies.

Filament

Filament makes industrial sensors with long-range wireless capabilities. It offers two products—the Tap and the Patch—that can be used to monitor environments and transmit data back to the network.

GridConnect

This company sells a host of sensors, probes, modules, adaptors, convertors, and networking tools that companies can use to connect their factories, warehouses, and other facilities to the Internet of Things. The company also makes a line of home automation devices under the ConnectSense brand name.

Impinj

Impinj claims to offer “the most comprehensive and widely adopted RAIN RFID platform.” It offers tag chips, gateways, readers, antennas, and software for retailers, healthcare, and other markets.

Rethink Robotics

Rethink doesn’t just make robots—they make smart, collaborative robots that can work together and learn, accomplishing precise tasks in manufacturing and testing facilities. A user can either purchase one of their pre-built robots with names like Sawyer and Baxter, or a user can work with the company to build a custom bot for their purposes.

RoboCV

A user can think of RoboCV as a robot forklift. Designed for warehouses, it can move pallets and boxes from place to place without human intervention. Users can control and monitor the vehicle from a centralized panel, and they can also integrate it with external IT systems if they choose.

Samsara Sensors

This startup makes industrial IoT sensors for fleet telematics, energy monitoring, cold chain monitoring, asset monitoring, and other purposes. The sensors transmit data to its cloud-hosted software where it can be monitored and analyzed.

Tachyus Sensors

Tachyus makes IoT solutions for the oil and gas industry. Their products allow producers to measure what is happening with their oil and gas extraction processes and then analyze and optimize those processes to maximize output.

Wzzard Wireless Sensors

Made by a company called Advantech B+B SmartWorx, this line of industrial sensors can track liquid or air temperature, current, liquid flow, vibration, and levels for various types of equipment and tanks. The platform also includes a gateway for collecting and transmitting data from the sensor network.

Xerafy

This company makes RFID tags and other technology for asset tracking in a wide variety of industries. Their tiny tags are small enough to be attached to medical supplies and surgical tools, and they are rugged enough for environments like oil and gas exploration.

Healthcare And Fitness IoT Devices

Healthcare and fitness IoT devices offer many new opportunities for healthcare and fitness professionals to monitor patients, as well as help experts research for recovery. 

AdhereTech

AdhereTech makes smart, wireless pill bottles that help ensure that patients are taking their medication. They are currently being used for research studies, but their use will likely expand to the general population.

Apple Watch

Perhaps one of the most popular forms of personal IoT, the Apple Watch has been adopted by many users for its versatile communication and health-related functions. Apple users can use an Apple Watch to call or text, get directions via Siri, listen to music, track their heart rate and daily activity, and even notify EMS during a personal emergency. Apple Watches pair with other Apple devices like iPhones, but users don’t have to have their phone nearby to use Apple Watch features.

Babylon Health

Babylon Health created an app to help patients have remote appointments and consultations with either a virtual or real doctor. This includes text and video appointments that are AI-powered chatbot that is meant to help patients find correct care.

Biotricity Bioflux

Available by prescription, Bioflux is an ECG monitoring device that allows physicians to keep track of their cardiac patients 24 hours a day. The full solution includes the device, analytics software, and monitoring service that can contact patients and healthcare providers when patients are in distress.

Breathometer Mint

Breathe into the Mint device, and it will tell how effectively a user is brushing their teeth. (Yes, essentially, this is an IoT device that tells a user if they have bad breath). It gives a grade and tracks their progress toward better oral hygiene.

Fitbit

Fitbit leads the market for wearable fitness and health trackers. Devices are available in a wide variety of styles and colors, and they can help consumers track progress toward their fitness goals.

Garmin Forerunner

This line of fitness trackers is focused on people who consider themselves to be athletes. It tracks their heart rate, pace, and times, and it includes tools for a wide variety of sports.

Genoox

Genoox is a cloud-based system that uses genomic patient data and converts it into clear medical data. Genoox records patients’ data so medical professionals can analyze all of the records to find the best treatment for a patient.

Helix

Helix works to help patients have new opportunities to have remote patient monitoring. With the devices Helix provides, medical professionals can provide personalized care without having to leave their houses. 

Karius

Karius is an IoT healthcare service that only needs a blood sample to detect over 1000 pathogens that can detect infections. This can help clinicians and patients alike by running tests to save time and prevent further medical problems.

Peloton

Peloton is a home-based bike workout with built-in classes, instruction, and social engagement opportunities with other users. The Peloton IoT is designed to help a user track their heart rate, resistance, and other fitness metrics in real-time, and their Peloton Bike can pair with other IoT devices, such as Apple Watches so that a user’s activity is accurately tracked across their fitness devices. Although it is an at-home workout, a Peloton device allows a user to build a community and communicate with other riders around the world.

Tempo Studio 

Tempo Studio combines features of both a gym membership and a home workout, with all weights and workout equipment included in the membership subscription-based home set. Through a central “studio” that uses AI to give personalized coaching and weight recommendations for each user, as well as a growing library of live and pre-recorded classes, the program is tailored to provide a smart touch to a home workout.

Withings Blood Pressure Monitor

Extremely easy to use, this blood pressure monitor slips over an arm, takes a user’s blood pressure readings, and sends the results to their smartphone where they are tracked over time. The same company also makes other health-related IoT products like fitness sensors, oxygen sensors, baby monitors, scales, thermometers, and more.

Miscellaneous IoT Devices

Not all IoT devices fall under one industry or category. These devices are equally as necessary and can be used for gardening, fishing, security, and pet ownership.

Benjilock TSA Fingerprint Padlock

The Benjilock TSA Fingerprint Padlock uses a user’s fingerprint to unlock any tool or suitcase a user locks. This helps with security and convenience, so whatever it is locked to is protected.

Click and Grow

If users think gardening was a low-tech activity, meet Click and Grow, the smart indoor garden. The company claims it helps balance oxygen, water, and nutritional ingredients to help plants grow better and faster.

Deeper

Designed for fishermen, Deeper is a portable fish finder that transmits sonar readings to a smartphone. Simply attach Deeper to the line and cast it into the water. Then check the phone to see the water depth and temperature, bottom contours, and where the fish are hiding.

Foobot

Foobot is an IoT device that works to avoid energy waste, make sure indoor conditions are better, and keep the company up to date.

Furbo Dog Camera

Furbo was created to address all dog owner anxieties when a user’s pet is home alone. This IoT can alert an owner when their dog is barking or howling, send photos and video clips of their dog’s activities to their phone via the cloud, and even toss them treats when an owner is away from them. Although the system primarily focuses on dog activity, it can also notify a user of home emergencies related to smoke or CO alarms.

Mimic GO

Mimic GO is a small, portable device that can attach to anything from a gym bag to a dorm room door. Anywhere that someone wants to track unwanted movement or potential theft, Mimic GO sends immediate notification of any disruption. Activate a Mimic GO device through a smartphone app, and it will notify a user if movement or other environmental changes are detected nearby. A user can also set up the device to sound an alarm and ward off unwanted visitors.

Particle Photon 2

Particle Photon 2 is a developing module that contains both a microcontroller and Wi-Fi networking. Different from the original device, it now can support large applications.

Philips Hue Go

Philips Hue Go is a portable smart light to be used anywhere, either attached to a lighting system or on its own. Philips Hue Go is a multi-color light that can be used anywhere.

Theatro

Designed for the retail and hospitality industries, Theatro makes a wearable WiFi-based communication device designed to improve worker productivity. It weighs just an ounce and a half and helps hourly workers stay in touch with each other and receive quick answers to questions.

Whistle

Have a dog who likes to run? Whistle is an Internet-connected collar that tracks a pet’s location and activity level. It can also monitor a pet’s health trends, making it a little bit like a Fitbit for dogs.

For more: Internet of Things (IoT) Security Market

Development Boards IoT Devices

Development boards ‍IoT devices are both portable and flexible for developers. These small computers can help hobbyists, developers, and students alike.

Arduino

Arduino sells a variety of IoT development boards and related accessories, many of them based on open source hardware designs. They offer special collections for kids and home hobbyists as well as more serious products for inventors and developers.

BeagleBoard

This organization offers credit-card-sized computers under the BeagleBone brand name. Most of the boards can run Linux or Android, and they are based on open source specifications.

Cypress IoT Products

Cypress recently purchased Broadcom’s IoT product portfolio. It includes Bluetooth sensors and smart tags, microcontrollers, and system on chips (SoC), as well as the WICED IoT Platform for developing IoT applications.

Discovery STM32MP157C Crypto Board

The Discovery STM32MP157C Crypto Board can leverage its microprocessors to allow users to develop applications using STM32 MPU OpenSTLinux Distribution software.

Flutter

Aimed at hobbyists, students, and engineers, Flutter modules incorporate ARM processors, long-range wireless capabilities, built-in battery charging, and an integrated security chip. The organization says its products are “an ideal choice for robotics, wireless sensor networks, consumer electronics, and educational platforms.”

Microduino

Microduino boards and related modules are about an inch square and stackable. Basic modules start at low cost, and the company also offers kits for building robots, quadcopters, weather stations, and more.

NVIDIA Jetson Nano

NVIDIA Jetson Nano Developer Kit is a computer that allows users to run multiple networks in applications like image classification, object detection, segmentation, and speech processing. The NVIDIA Jetson Nano runs in as little as five watts.

Onion Omega2

The Onion Omega2 Linux Compute Modules have been designed for applications that require connectivity and computing. The Onion Omega2 package features a CPU, memory, flash storage, and a WiFi radio. It is an advanced IoT tool.

OpenMote

This firm offers open source IoT hardware, including computing modules, interface boards, and battery modules. Pre-built devices are somewhat more expensive than many other open source boards, with the OpenMote-CC2538 computing module retailing for 90.00€.

Raspberry Pi

Undoubtedly the best-known of all the IoT development boards, the Raspberry Pi is a complete computer the size of a credit card. The third-generation model includes a 1.2GHz 64-bit quad-core ARMv8 CPU, Bluetooth, 1 GB RAM, 4 USB ports, an Ethernet port, a Micro SD card slot, and much more. It costs around £30.00, and purchasing is available through a network of distributors.

SODAQ

Short for “solar-powered data acquisition,” SODAQ offers Arduino-compatible boards, modules, and sensors that are powered by the sun. The company also develops custom IoT solutions for clients.

UDOO

This company offers boards based on open source hardware designs. Its primary products are the introductory-level Neo ($49.90), the more powerful Quad/Dual ($135), and the x86, which is being funded through Kickstarter.

For more information on IoT sensors: 5 Internet of Things (IoT) Sensor Trends

Virtual Reality (VR) And Augmented Reality (AR) IoT Devices

Interacting with the world through VR and AR is one of the top focuses on entertainment and design work alike. Made for both consumers and professionals, VR and AR IoT devices can help connect people.

Here are the top seven VR and AR IoT devices:

AVEGANT

Light engines, such as AVEGANT, are at the heart of what powers every augmented reality product. Avegant offers edge technologies that allow a user to have compact and manufacturable AR light engines.

Google Cardboard

A surprisingly low-tech approach to virtual reality, Google Cardboard requires users to slot an Android smartphone into a cardboard (or plastic) viewer that they can make themselves or buy. For nostalgic toy lovers, there’s also a viewer that looks like a Mattel View-Master.

Microsoft HoloLens

Designed primarily for enterprise use, Microsoft HoloLens is an augmented reality device that can assist with design work, communication, training, and more.

Oculus Rift

Facebook’s Oculus Rift device offers consumers a virtual reality experience for playing games, watching movies, and other entertainment experiences. Devices start at $399, and to use them buyers will need a compatible PC.

RealD 3D

RealD is one of the well-known VR IoT tools. RealD aims to have the perfect visual experience for their users that works on many devices. As a premier visual technology, RealD designs and licenses contain technologies that allow a premium viewing experience in the theater, at home, and on personal devices.

Samsung Gear VR

Powered by Oculus technology, Samsung’s VR headset integrates with its Galaxy line of smartphones. Key features include a Super AMOLED display, wide field of view, precise head tracking, and low latency.

TPCAST

TPCAST Wireless Adaptor, a Vive product, allows users to install it on their own. With an antenna array and large bandwidth, it ensures a great display experience for users that is the same as that with the cable. Vive users now can enjoy a VR experience freely.

Bottom Line: The Importance of Internet of Things Devices

The growing Internet of Things sector benefits home automation, industrial, healthcare, development boards, and more. Many companies offer IoT devices to help improve the lives of users.

IoT devices help connect the business and consumer worlds to help exchange data among many industries. IoT has become a necessary tool to help with company decision-making, monitoring data, and automating home and business processes. As IoT grows, it will play an increasing role in business and consumer commerce. 

For more: It’s Time to Embrace Intelligent IoT

Wireless networking can use various technologies to connect devices, such as cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. 

See below to learn all about the global wireless networking market:

Wireless Networking Market

The wireless networking market was estimated to be valued at $57.3 billion in 2020. It’s projected to maintain a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.8% over the analysis period from 2020 to 2027, reaching $132.9 billion by the end of it.

The cellular segment of the market is expected to maintain a CAGR of 13.7% during the same analysis period, reaching $49.7 billion by the end of it. The low-power wide area network (LPWAN) segment of the market is projected to follow a 13% CAGR over the analysis period.

Regionally, the global wireless networking market is segmented as follows:

• The U.S. market was estimated at $16.9 billion in 2020, with a 29.4% share
• The Chinese market is forecast for a CAGR of 12.2%, reaching $23.1 billion by 2027
• Japan and Canada are forecast to grow at a CAGR of 11.3% and 10.8% over the forecast period
• Within Europe, Germany is projected to maintain one of the highest CAGRs at 9.2%
• The Asia-Pacific segment, led by Australia, South Korea, and India, is forecast to reach $15.7 billion by 2027

By industry, the consumer electronic sector is driving demand in the market.

Other notable industries driving demand include:

• IT
• Telecommunications
• Automotive
• Health care
• Aerospace and defense

Wireless Networking Features

Wireless networking describes any devices not connected by cables or wires. They differ greatly in size, from covering whole buildings to broad geographical areas.

A wireless network requires three typical components:

1. Wireless access point: Also known as Wireless AP, it’s the networking hardware that adds wireless capability to the network, whether it’s through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or another signal.

2. Wireless controller: It is responsible for monitoring and managing the wireless access points, determining which devices get access to the network architecture.

3. Power over Ethernet switch: Provides power and communication capabilities to the network, enabling the edge devices to connect wirelessly.

The wireless connection can be established through a variety of communication methods and protocols, from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to NFC, LTE, and satellite services.

Categorized by size, there are four typical types of wireless networks:

Wireless Local Area Network

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) are networks of two or more devices, often used in small offices and homes. WLANs cover a relatively small area and enable the network users to move around in the coverage area without losing network access.

Wireless Metropolitan Area Network

Wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs) are networks that span greater than 100 meters in coverage. They’re most commonly used to provide coverage for metropolitan areas and residential blocks, such as phone services.

Wireless Personal Area Network

Wireless personal area networks (WPANs) are limited in coverage area and connect an individual’s personal smart devices within their home or work area. Instead of a central transmission hub, in WPANs, all devices communicate directly with one another, often using Bluetooth and ZigBee protocols.

Wireless Wide Area Network

Wireless wide area networks (WWANs) connect multiple LAN architectures, wireless or not, broadcasting the signal over an entire building or property. WWANs are capable of connecting hundreds of portable and stationary devices simultaneously as long as they’re in range.

Custom Wireless Network Design

Wireless networks, especially at corporations with high mobility, enable freedom and convenience for employees and visitors. Since the circumstances and needs of every organization differ, wireless network design needs to fit each situation. Otherwise, it could pose a security risk, while remaining inefficient and low performing.

Wireless deployment can be challenging, but designing a wireless networking architecture to suit a company’s particular needs is the best way to minimize hardships moving forward.

“It is important to segregate wireless networks based on the type of users, such as guests, corporate users, or those using point-of-sale (POS) devices. … Providing wireless connections to the visitors or customers at a retail location is becoming common practice for many organizations,” says Anshuman Awasthi, a member of the Forbes Technology Council.

“Corporate Wi-Fi is often the most heavily used wireless network in an enterprise. It is important to make it secure — but at the same time, easily accessible.”

Benefits of Wireless Networking

Wireless networking solutions are widely adopted by companies looking for networking efficiency and convenience.

These are a some of the notable benefits of wireless networking:

• Minimizes physical barriers
• Enables device mobility
• Reduces costs of physical cables and connectors
• Improves network accessibility
• Wide range of coverage
• Easily scalable through signal repeaters
• Improves network communication capabilities

“5G wireless WAN brings diversity, agility, and flexibility to allow sites and devices to be easily connected. Enterprises should jump on the 5G bandwagon to fully realize the benefits of SD-WAN and SASE for their businesses,” says Ritesh Mukherjee, a member of the Forbes Technology Council.

“Enterprises can use wireless connections for out-of-band management during failures, because OOBM provides remote access if a site needs troubleshooting, without depending on the traditional wired connection.”

Wireless Network Use Cases

Wireless networking solutions are used by organizations in different industries, with an architecture that suits their size and needs:

Beyersdorf Dienstleistungen

Beyersdorf Dienstleistungen is a company offering cleaning services for glass, carpets, and furniture for businesses. Based in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, Beyersdorf has over 1,300 employees at six branches across the country.

For years, each branch of Beyersdorf had its own separate IT hardware and infrastructure from its vendor of choice. While that allowed for more autonomy, it also caused major issues for the IT teams.

Starting the shift of hardware from various vendors to Cisco, the Beyersdorf IT team gradually unified the company’s infrastructure and switches. They switched to Cisco Meraki, rolling out wireless LAN for all company branches.

“We began a complete overhaul with Cisco Meraki, rolling out wireless LAN for all of our branches. From the beginning, it was clear how much easier things were going to be,” says Edward Darkwa, CIO, Beyersdorf Dienstleistungen.

“We started to receive notifications for devices that were on the network, and it was much easier to keep track of switches or access points if they went offline.”

With access to numerous networking solutions by Cisco, Beyersdorf gained more control over its network and improved its security.

Queen Elizabeth Institute

Queen Elizabeth Institute (KEI) is a rehabilitation hospital based in Oostduinkerke, Belgium that provides specialized services to over 1,400 patients daily.

With hundreds of physicians, therapists, and staff members, they had to constantly connect and disconnect medical devices to computers for use. Looking to switch to Wi-Fi-enabled devices, KEI used Juniper Networks.

KEI deployed the Juniper Mist wireless network with high-performance Wi-Fi 6 throughout the hospital and its surrounding property, saving the institution time and money.

“With Juniper Mist, we can see the Wi-Fi problems ourselves, instead of waiting for staff to tell us. … We spend less time troubleshooting and that frees up our time for more strategic projects,” says Stefaan Dewul, IT architect, KEI.

“With Juniper driven by Mist AI, we’ve gone from a vintage car to an Aston Martin.”

Lincoln University

Lincoln University in Chester County, Pennsylvania spans over 46 buildings, 500 faculty and staff members, and over 2,000 students.

Caught off guard by the need to switch to remote education, Lincoln University was looking to upgrade its infrastructure to a more scalable and stable solution with a wider range and centralized management.

Working with Extreme Networks, Lincoln University opted to deploy a wireless networking solution, using the ExtremeCloud IQ wireless network management solution with Wi-Fi 6 access throughout its campuses.

“The overall experience with Extreme Networks and Howard Technology Solutions has been phenomenal. couldn’t ask for more,” says Justin McKenzie, CIO, Lincoln University.

“Extreme Networks allowed us to deliver this more easily once we migrated from our existing high-maintenance on-premises solution to the new infrastructure that can be managed remotely.”

Working with Extreme Networks, Lincoln University was able to improve the performance of its Wi-Fi network by adopting Wi-Fi 6, increase visibility into the infrastructure, and simplify the network’s maintenance and management.

Wireless Networking Providers

Some of the leading providers of wireless networking solutions and services in the market include:

• Broadcom
• Intel
• Qualcomm
• Marvell Technology
• Nexcom International
• EnOcean
• MediaTek
• Skyworks Solutions
• STMicroelectronics
• Texas Instruments

With major governments pursuing 5G as the next generation of internet and the Biden administration pledging $65 billion for telco infrastructure, global wireless players are looking to bridge gaps in digital connectivity.

To make sure the internet reaches every corner, wireless networking has an indispensable role to play. 

See below how five companies in the market are advancing wireless networking technology in different industries: 

1. Meraki

A solution by the cloud networking brand Meraki, part of Cisco, powers wireless connectivity for enterprises by designing both software and hardware equipment.

“Meraki makes these top-of-the-top features available to everyone, even small networks with IT teams of just one or two. When I actually tried it, I truly believed that it could work for the biggest of the big … and the smallest of the small,” says Meraki CEO Todd Nightingale. 

“We make our products easy to use, manage, and monitor for our customers, and I believe we’re the only enterprise IT group that is truly focused on that as our number one priority..”

Meraki’s client base includes Stanford, Burger King, and Telmex. Meraki creates easily deployable and scalable networks with centralized management through a dashboard and Meraki mobile app.

Industry: Network management

Wireless network provider: Roofnet and Meraki 

Outcomes:

• Cost reduction through a centralized management software with options to create and modify IT policies
• Security architecture through a firewall, well-defined threat detection, and integrated Sourcefire intrusion prevention
• Wide avenues for clients to troubleshoot, monitor, enhance visibility, and keep their teams lean
• Real-time analysis and customer insights
• Mobile device and switch port management

2. Cradlepoint

Cradlepoint is a network-as-a-service (NaaS) company that delivers 4G and 5G connectivity to businesses. 

The Ericsson subsidiary doesn’t only offer WAN connections but links offices, vehicles, and homes with IoT devices for better communication.

“When you think about what’s happening to enterprise networks, it’s not just about connecting branch offices anymore. In the future, it’s about connecting sites and people in those sites, out in the wild, mobile workers — and all of the things are getting connected to networks,” says Cradlepoint CEO George Mulhern.

Cradlepoint started as a fail-over product company where users can access the internet if the wired network faces glitches. Cradlepoint switched to cloud connection management and can deliver wireless access in the absence of broadband.

Industry: Wireless WAN and edge networking

Wireless network provider: NetCloud Manager

Outcomes:

• Increasing bandwidth availability for business while bringing down connectivity costs
• Pooling down mobile data among geographically distributed locations 
• Cradlepoint powers its routers via Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP), providing cellular backup. The protocol also helps teams to flag network attacks immediately
• Combining LTE with Wi-Fi through a single router to create Wi-Fi as a WAN service
• Securing private communication lines over a public internet via NetCloud Perimeter

3. AOptix

Now acquired by Anova, AOptix is a NASA-recognized deep space platform offering wireless laser-radio technology (LRT) for astronomers and scientists to capture deep space objects. 

With DARPA, NASA, the U.S. military, and international airports across countries as its clientele, AOptix is leveraging both air-to-air and air-to-ground wireless networks. Its wireless networking product also extends to identity verification for immigration and aviation security.

“AOptix has deep roots in space research, and America’s space program should be now evaluating our technology for future communications applications,” says Dean Senner, CEO of AOptix, after NASA deployed AOptix Intellimax in Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. 

Industry: Deep space communication

Wireless network provider: AOptix and Intellimax

Outcomes:

• AOptix’s wireless links save resources and time for enterprises over fiber installations that take weeks or months to set up
• Long-range, reliable, wireless communication with ultra-high bandwidth offering mobile backhaul
• Blending radio frequency with laser optics to create all-weather, error-free communication with a strong uptime rate
• Generating performance and higher speed over fiber networks, AOptix reports 50% added speed, low latency, and a reduction in noise and external barriers
• AOptix partnered with Nasdaq and BATS to offer wireless network services with low latency to reduce system meltdowns in financial institutions, regardless of company size

4. Strix Systems

Most autonomous vehicles today send and receive data via internal sensors. However, the portable devices aren’t designed to communicate with external surroundings, let alone offer full-fledged internet access. 

Strix Systems makes it possible for autonomous vehicles to communicate with the outside environment through its wireless network extensions with fewer nodes.

“Infonetics believes that Strix Systems is a key manufacturer and critical solution provider in the wireless mesh network industry. The market is accelerating, and we’re now experiencing the greater penetration and ultimate benefits that solutions like Strix Systems Access/One have to offer,” says Richard Webb with Infonetics Research.

Industry: Autonomous vehicle communication and wireless meshing

Wireless network provider: Strix Systems

Outcomes:

• Creating intelligent vehicles by converting real-time data into actionable insights for vehicles to ensure maximum safety
• A centralized monitoring system integrated with Condition Acquisition Reporting System (CARS) to communicate with the vehicles as needed
• Built-in Wi-Fi and GPS services with added sensors and a high-resolution satellite imagery
• Efficient handling of physical obstructions, disruptive weather, and distance

5. Veniam

Veniam is offering the next phase of IoT — the Internet of Moving Things, a concept to turn public transport into Wi-Fi hotspots. 

Veniam creates a full-fledged infrastructure to connect everyday devices over a wireless platform. The product has applications in smart cities where regular transport facilities, ports, waste collection centers, schools, container terminals, and public parks can be converted into mobile internet devices. 

Veniam’s cloud stores and interprets machine data from sensors and performs tasks without much human intervention.

“We envision a future where mobility is provided as a service by a fleet of autonomous vehicles,” says João Barros, CEO, Veniam. “The way to get there is to enable carmakers, who produce cars, trucks, and buses, to share huge amounts of data with each other and with the cloud.

“Veniam’s technology will make it possible for cities to provide the bandwidth necessary for devices to connect to the internet and each other.”

Veniam is credited for building a large vehicular network covering 600 vehicles in Portugal. Today, Porto’s 73% of bus riders are powered by Veniam’s Wi-Fi with a monthly transmission of 3 TB of data.

Industry: Internet of Moving Things and smart cities

Wireless network provider: Veniam

Outcomes:

• Connecting public and private spaces with citizens for successful data dispatch across devices
• Powering smart cities and improving quality of life for residents
• Turning fleets, vehicles, and mobile objects into live networks
• Reducing dependency on cellular networks, while collecting official data for third parties, like traffic and bandwidth, for scalability

See below for a complete comparison of the enterprise services offered by Verizon and T-Mobile to help decide which is the best option for your company:

Portfolio

Verizon

Verizon offers a broad portfolio of enterprise offerings:

• Connectivity: 5G-ready mobile devices; Business Internet, including Fios and 5G options
• Contact Center and customer experience (CX): virtual contact center, VoIP inbound anti-fraud and authentication, contact center hub, customer engagement, IP contact center, and voice call back
• Networks: private IP, internet dedicated services, managed SD-WAN, virtual network services, managed network services, and CPE solutions
• Security: security device monitoring and management, cyber risk monitoring, Verizon ID, rapid response retainer, network detection and response, and Business Internet Secure
• Tech support services: Total Mobile Protection, TechTeam, and TechTeam for Internet
• Voice and collaboration: One Talk, BlueJeans by Verizon, Webex Calling, VoIP, Unified Communications and Collaboration as a Service, and Webex

T-Mobile

T-Mobile offers a comparable range of enterprise solutions in their portfolio:

• Connectivity: WFX solutions; Business Internet solutions
• Networks: Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, business-grade Wi-Fi, carrier Ethernet, cloud networking, data center solutions, data link, dedicated internet access, global MPLS VPN, managed WAN, national broadband, SD-WAN, and Wave Fiber Optic Service
• Security: multi-factor authentication, advanced endpoint detection and response with AI, cyber threat detection and response, DDoS protection, secure private access, and secure web
• Voice and collaboration: Cisco-hosted collaboration, global SIP trunking, global SIP toll-free calling, and managed IP telephony

While many similar solutions are offered by both vendors, Verizon edges out T-Mobile with broader categories, features, and integrations with other technology solutions.

Partners

Verizon

Verizon has four partner models: Agent, Sell With, Reseller, and Strategic. 

All partners have access to the Verizon Partner Network Podcast, training and accreditation support, and ongoing technical support and expertise.

In addition, events such as the Women of the Channel Leadership Summit provide the opportunity to make connections with leaders across the IT channel.

Some featured partners include:

• AVANT Communications
• Ingram Micro
• Intelisys
• Tessco
• Unified Connection
• PlanetOne Communications
• Interactive Telecom Solutions

T-Mobile

T-Mobile offers Wireless and Wireline partner programs, each aiming to support resellers, solution providers, and authorized distributors. 

Partners have access to onboarding and training materials, marketing assets, sales tools, and deal registration and tracking.

Some featured partners include:

• Cequence Security
• Dialpad
• SignalWire
• Spectro Cloud
• Mojio 

T-Mobile’s reputation for providing good customer service extends to their partner program, where the focus is on promotion and sales. In contrast, Verizon offers a number of partner models, each designed to support and empower partners with a wide range of tools and resources.

Use cases

Verizon

It’s clear when looking at the solutions delivered by Verizon, their focus is on the big picture. By choosing to discuss use cases by category instead of industry verticals, Verizon makes the case that their solutions are more extensible and serve a broader range of business clients.

A few notable use cases showcase how 5G-enabled autonomous drone surveillance could safely monitor large crowds or how seeing what’s happening during medical procedures could help save patients from surgical errors.

Focus: Workforce productivity, customer experience, business intelligence (BI), status monitoring, autonomous machines, and public sector

T-Mobile

T-Mobile focuses on 5G technology in more general terms, like those outlined in their whitepaper “5 Ways 5G Will Revolutionize Efficiency in the Manufacturing Industry,” as well as focus on industry-specific use cases.

Industry verticals: Health care, manufacturing and warehousing, field operations, and agriculture

User reviews

Verizon and T-Mobile are both well-reviewed across major user review sites, though most focus on a particular service or solution. Overall, Verizon comes out slightly ahead.

Reviewers praise Verizon for being reliable and T-Mobile for having faster data speeds. 

Industry recognition

In Ookla’s data surveying the state of 5G in the U.S. in the second half of 2021, the results favored both Verizon and T-Mobile. While T-Mobile takes top honors for availability and speed, Verizon is the winner for reliability.

J.D. Power is similarly split, giving Verizon top honors for network quality, while citing T-Mobile as No. 1 in customer service and satisfaction.

Overall, Verizon is more decorated, showing top marks for technology, alongside accolades for being an inclusive and diverse employer.

Overall

While Verizon and T-Mobile are both leaders in the enterprise mobile market, with considerable portfolios of solutions available to serve business customers, Verizon edges ahead as the overall leader.

GM is using Cisco’s Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul network architecture for real-time, pre-production performance testing at the GM Milford Proving Ground, according to Cisco last month.

The wireless backhaul by Cisco provides vehicle-to-trackside connectivity and allows multiple GM test engineers to monitor several hundred data channels simultaneously during a test run.

The network is intended to help GM observe vehicle operation parameters and modify a test as it is being conducted to optimize results, reducing test time and accelerating the time to market for vehicles.

GM is the first auto manufacturer to deploy Cisco’s wireless backhaul technology.

Previously, due to the high speed of vehicles, engineers did not have real-time access to development data during vehicle performance testing, according to Cisco. Data was recorded locally and analyzed off site, and engineers re-ran tests.

Cisco’s Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul, which is part of its IIoT networking portfolio, is designed to combine the reliability and speed of fiber connectivity with the flexibility of wireless communications. 

The network delivers up to 500 Mbps with ultra-low latency, high-bandwidth wireless, with handoffs as well as private mobile connectivity for mission-critical applications.

GM needed “a mature solution to gain real-time visibility into vehicle test data, and they tested many technologies which all fell short,” said Michael Shannon, VP of engineering, Cisco IoT. 

With Cisco’s wireless backhaul, GM was “able to achieve the visibility needed to shorten engineering cycles — ultimately helping to greatly improve time to market for technical innovations,” Shannon said.

“As GM accelerates the shift to electric vehicles, every minute counts,” said Anthony Bolton, CIO and CTO, global telecommunication and end use services, infrastructure and development, GM. 

“Using the network and its data to accelerate our performance testing is the type of innovation that delivers real business value as we transition from automaker to platform innovator.”

StudioLAB, a division of The Walt Disney Studios, and T-Mobile entered a five-year “innovation partnership,” according to T-Mobile last month. 

The partnership between T-Mobile and StudioLAB is intended to explore emerging technologies for consumers, such as virtual presence, mixed reality (MR), and immersive experiences. 

T-Mobile will collaborate with StudioLAB on ways to improve content production and test forms of immersive experiences for consumers, using its nationwide 5G network.

The partners also plan to use T-Mobile Ultra Capacity 5G to test more efficient ways to capture, produce, and distribute content, from both a studio and remote locations. 

For instance, studio teams may use wireless technology to remotely scout a movie location or improve how video content is transferred in real-time from remote locations to the cloud.  

StudioLAB is home to an “advanced development team” focused on innovation in creative technologies.

StudioLAB’s other innovation partners include Accenture, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Microsoft, LG Display, and Salesforce.

“Disney has been at the heart of storytelling for generations,” said Neville Ray, president of technology, T-Mobile. 

“And that’s why the T-Mobile team is excited they chose to work with us on 5G innovation.” 

The partners will use T-Mobile’s 5G network to “spark new innovations aimed at transforming how entertainment can be produced and experienced,” Ray said.

Jamie Voris, CTO at Walt Disney Studios, said the studio is “just getting started, and the possibilities are endless for how 5G can infuse new magic into the entertainment business.”

Voris said partnering with T-Mobile “opens up incredible opportunities to use 5G to radically change many aspects of the industry.”

Especially as companies begin to tap into the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and other smart devices and services, enterprise 5G solutions offer the connectivity, bandwidth, and speed necessary to make these advances possible. 

If your enterprise is looking for new ways to optimize your mobile network for internal operations and external initiatives, use this guide to better understand enterprise 5G and what the top providers offer to differentiate themselves in this emerging market:

Choosing the Right Enterprise 5G Network

• Features of an enterprise 5G network

• Benefits of an enterprise 5G network

• Top enterprise 5G providers
  • AT&T
  • Ericsson
  • Nokia
  • Verizon
  • AWS
  • Geoverse
  • T-Mobile

• Enterprise 5G: vendor comparison table

• What to look for in an enterprise 5G network

Also read: The Mobile Device Management Market (MDM) Market

Features of an enterprise 5G network

An enterprise 5G network, sometimes called a private 5G network, consists of many different pieces. Private 5G networks cannot offer enterprises the ultra-low latency they’ve come to expect from 5G unless enterprises invest in the following services, equipment, and other key features of an enterprise 5G network:

Private spectrum access

Enterprises have to purchase dedicated spectrum in order to set up and run an enterprise 5G network. This spectrum gives access to a set of certain wireless frequencies that keep the network privately running.

5G hardware and infrastructure

Mobile service providers typically set up all of the necessary equipment for a public network, but in an enterprise 5G network, the enterprise is responsible for setting up its own hardware and equipment. Equipment that enterprises must purchase from infrastructure and hardware providers includes base stations, mini-towers, small cells, and next-generation wireless 5G radio antennas.

Edge and 5G devices

5G only works effectively with mobile devices that have been designed for 5G service. But these kinds of devices are not only necessary so users can actually use the modern network; 5G and edge devices support the operations of the 5G mobile network as a whole. These edge devices distribute and offset centralized bandwidth needs, which results in lower latency for all devices running on the network. Most enterprises need embedded modules and nodes in their facilities for 5G to work, but mobile devices like smartphones, routers, and gateways offer additional points of connection and data transmission.

Managed service partners and systems integrators

Setting up enterprise 5G is expensive, complex, and time consuming. Few companies have enough internal knowledge to get their network deployed on their own, so they must rely on third-party partners and systems integrators. These external 5G expert teams focus on proper configuration, security concerns, and industry-specific requirements to incorporate into the private spectrum.

Regulatory support tools

Enterprise 5G networks involve more mobile devices and endpoints with varying levels of native security. As a result, companies can fall into serious security and regulatory compliance problems if they don’t add support tools and features to their new network. Policy management, network management, identity and access management (IAM), and other user- and device-level security solutions are particularly helpful in this area of 5G implementation.

More on user-level mobile management: The Mobile Identity Management (MIM) Market

Benefits of an enterprise 5G network

Enterprises, especially ones that depend on a smart assembly line and real-time software processes, are turning to enterprise 5G because of the network’s bandwidth, low latency, and speed that support a growing number of smart devices. Enterprises that make the costly investment in 5G for business can realize several key benefits:

Support for smart tech innovation

The latest smart technologies cannot be developed, maintained, or deployed without the processing bandwidth and low latencies that 5G offers. Although 4G LTE has supported some of these innovations, enterprises have been able to innovate more in areas like smart factory infrastructure, robotics, and IoT devices for operational and end user use cases.

Improved performance, visibility, and security through isolation

A private 5G network blocks public traffic from interfering with business operations and network performance management. Especially for companies that are innovating in IoT and AI/ML, dedicated bandwidth is important for quick and accurate big data transmissions. With enterprise 5G, network administrators can focus on optimizing the enterprise traffic they expect to see on the network. With more focus on user access management and authorization, network security professionals can also better identify anomalous traffic and behaviors.

Global availability of enterprise 5G

Public 5G is not yet available in most areas of the world, but enterprise 5G can be made available anywhere a company is willing to invest in the appropriate spectrum and equipment. This means that employees and operations can benefit from the reliability, high data transmission rates, and scalability of 5G, regardless of where they’re working.

Operational backbone for edge and IoT devices

The latest 5G and IoT devices cannot function without the networking capacity of 5G. 5G is the first mobile network that’s truly capable of processing the large sums of data that IoT can produce, both on the cloud and the edge. These devices can make working processes smoother, offer new products and services to customers, and lead to technologies that change how the world works, like autonomous vehicles.

Also read: The Internet of Things (IoT) Edge Computing Market

New opportunities for sustainable business practices

5G-powered devices and equipment also present opportunities in the area of global sustainability. Smart energy solutions, such as smart irrigation systems, lights, and assembly lines, can help companies use energy more efficiently and decrease their carbon footprint.

Learn more from Enterprise Networking Planet: The Role 5G Can Play in Global Sustainability Efforts

Top Enterprise 5G providers

AT&T

AT&T is a top mobile service provider in enterprise mobility. The company is one of the leading researchers in the enterprise 5G space and is focused on creating event-based 5G solutions that take into account different traffic patterns. Their pioneering solution in the 5G event space is Private Cellular Networks Events, which includes rapid 5G+ mmWave temporary deployments and data-only connectivity options.

AT&T also offers one of the widest partner networks in the enterprise 5G space, and their research efforts not only focus on expanding 5G use cases but finding new partners to deliver on those solutions. Current use cases for AT&T enterprise 5G include smart factory insights and more catered fan experiences in stadiums.

Differentiators

• Samsung, LG, Motorola, and Netgear 5G devices available
• AT&T Multi-Access Edge Computing feature
• AT&T Private Cellular Networks Events version with 5G access
• Rapid 5G+ mmWave temporary deployments
• AT&T Wireless Broadband for additional deployment and backup support

Learn more in our AT&T Enterprise 5G Review.

Ericsson

Ericsson is not only a top 5G telecom services provider but also provides infrastructural hardware and software solutions for 5G. They say they’ve brought 5G to four continents, and they hold the rights to many important 5G patents.

Their research and 5G footprint continue to grow, but Ericsson particularly stands out as a provider because of its flexible, transitional approach to 5G infrastructure and devices. Many of their 5G solutions are designed to work with older devices and 3G/4G equipment, which is helpful for companies looking to make a smooth transition from one mobile network strategy to another and fully transition to 5G.

Differentiators

• Ericsson Radio System for scalable coverage needs
• Existing hardware can be used in 5G rollouts through Ericsson Spectrum Sharing
• Portfolio of 85 service partners from all over the globe
• Core network automation features with edge, slicing, and exposure support
• Stand-alone and integrated 5G private networks available

Nokia

Nokia is an international provider that focuses on mobile infrastructure and IoT solutions, but they’re also one of the leading providers for enterprise 5G services. Nokia plays a smaller role in user device deployment than most other providers on this list. However, they stand out with the process management solutions they offer for enterprise 5G rollout. 

In this area, Nokia offers the Agile Rules Technology (A.R.T.) solution. It is Nokia’s rules engine that creates call flow models, sets data requirements for a spectrum, and otherwise identifies and standardizes networks for common enterprise mobile use cases. A.R.T. leads to many benefits for business users, including efficiencies in the Signaling part of the platform. Notably, Nokia also has one of the industry’s first 5G edge slicing solutions.

Differentiators

• Industrial service support provided through catered network signaling
• One of the first and most advanced 5G edge slicing solutions on the market
• Compatible with several containers and other cloud platform deployment options, including Nokia Container Services, RedHat OpenShift, VMware Tanzu, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Microsoft Azure
• Service intent orchestration and cross-domain automation capabilities
• Nokia Core offers multi-vendor continuous delivery

Verizon

Verizon does not offer the same enterprise 5G coverage and mature services as providers like AT&T, but they are cornering the market for some specialized industries and their mobility needs. Particularly in government and education, Verizon extends some of the best focused customer support, security, and compliance features to meet those sectors’ most important networking needs. 

Beyond their support for vertical markets, Verizon is also a top leader in the research portion of enterprise 5G rollout and has brought several interesting solutions to the market. One such enterprise 5G-adjacent solution is THOR, which is Verizon’s rapid command center for flexible mobile network deployment.

Differentiators

• Crowd Analytics solution for improved live user experiences
• Specialized knowledge of networking for public sector organizations across federal agencies, state and local governments, public safety agencies, and educational institutions
• 5G Business Internet and on-site 5G solutions
• Verizon 5G Edge mobile edge computing platform
• Business 5G devices from Apple, Samsung, Google, and Motorola

Learn more in our Verizon Enterprise 5G Review.

AWS

AWS is lesser known in the 5G innovation race, but their cloud, AI/machine learning (ML), and services background makes them a strong option among private 5G service providers. This enterprise 5G solution balances a variety of managed services with self-service dashboards and consoles, which makes it a good fit for teams that want a flexible 5G implementation model with strong vendor support.

Licensing and scaling for AWS’s enterprise 5G are also flexible and scalable. Their pay-as-you-go pricing includes few upfront equipment or installation charges, and their real-time approach to scaling allows companies to connect and visualize their network and application infrastructure before starting the capacity planning process. As companies realize they need more or fewer features to help their network run, self-service allows them to make these changes based on their business objectives and timelines.

Differentiators

• Managed service with self-service features on the AWS Console and via APIs
• Spectrum sourced from Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) to eliminate some licensing needs
• AWS-managed integration with Spectrum Access System (SAS) for FCC regulatory compliance
• Delivers and manages 5G Core, RAN software, and SIM cards on an ongoing basis for private 5G users
• Flexible policy management with AWS IAM integration
• Built-in network monitoring for metrics, like network status, connected SIMs, user uplink and downlink usage, and device behaviors

Geoverse

Geoverse is a smaller enterprise 5G provider, but they have built a strong reputation and global presence. Their partner network is extensive and connects them with major 5G providers, like Ericsson and Nokia. However, their support offerings are one of their major differentiators, with ongoing user training, software support, and maintenance built into enterprise licenses.

Geoverse’s business model is a monthly subscription bundle that includes design, deployment, operations, and services for enterprise customers. The 5G services vendor also offers service level agreements (SLAs) to make self-service tool evaluation and network performance simpler.

Differentiators

• Technology partnerships with Ericsson, Nokia, Commscope, JMA, and Corning
• Pre-designed and vetted solution bundles that include smartphones, gateways, and bridges
• Extensive channel and solution partner network
• Turnkey equipment and installation with scalability for wide area networks (WANs)
• Support for CBRS spectrum, major carrier spectrum, and their own 600 MHz and 700 MHz spectrum options

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is considered a top provider of public 5G service, with more coverage areas in the United States than any other provider, but they’ve also worked hard to build a strong enterprise 5G foundation. 

T-Mobile is known for its high signal and download speeds, and they are growing a reputation for a top enterprise user experience. Their device setup and included features make their devices particularly user-friendly, including for video streaming.

At this time, T-Mobile is more heavily focused on its public 5G expansion and optimization goals. However, the company’s highly publicized 2020 merger with Sprint has led T-Mobile to quicker growth trajectories in enterprise 5G innovation. Expect to see a growing number of enterprise use cases from T-Mobile in the near future.

Differentiators

• Enterprise solutions focused on higher education, health care, retail, construction, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics
• Enhanced rural and indoor coverage with extended range and low-band 5G signals
• 5G devices from Apple, Samsung, Google, T-Mobile, OnePlus, Nokia, Motorola, and TCL
• Low-, mid-, and high-band spectrum options
• Business package solutions with unlimited data, talk, text, and video streaming

Learn more in our T-Mobile Enterprise 5G Review.

Enterprise 5G: vendor comparison table

	Edge computing features	5G mobile device procurement and management	Broad partner and third-party support
AT&T	X	X	X
Ericsson	X		X
Nokia	X		X
Verizon	X	X
AWS	X
Geoverse	X	X	X
T-Mobile	X	X

Also read: Top UEM Software

What to look for in an enterprise 5G network

Enterprise 5G networks are difficult to implement from a cost and time perspective. And as this market grows, potential buyers are having a more difficult time deciding which enterprise 5G providers understand and meet their business use cases.

Especially because 5G is still in its early stages, chances are companies won’t have many in-house experts on 5G deployment and management. The lack of in-house knowledge of 5G makes it important for enterprises to find a 5G provider that offers a user-friendly deployment process, along with strong consulting and customer support.

Another consideration for enterprises is the strength of a provider’s enterprise 5G solutions vs. their public 5G outlook. A vendor with top public 5G coverage or speed may not have private 5G solutions that are keeping up with competitors. Before selecting an enterprise 5G provider, look closely at enterprise and industry-specific case studies to get a better understanding of how they’ll be able to meet your networking requirements.

And finally, make sure you check the availability of different providers in your company’s primary global regions. Some enterprise 5G network providers, such as Huawei and ZTE, are highly praised in certain global regions but are not available in others because of security and governmental concerns.

Read next: The Enterprise 5G Market

Sawatch Labs and Verizon Connect entered into a technology integration partnership, according to Verizon this month.

The partnership is intended to help Sawatch Labs assist customers with more than 10 vehicles plan the shift from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs.

The companies believe EVs will become a “significant part” of vehicle fleets in the coming years, creating more demand for EV fleet management solutions.

See more: The Data Analytics Market

Verizon Connect is working to help automate and improve the way vehicles and people “move through the world.” The division provides fleet and mobile workforce management solutions, including Reveal, its GPS fleet tracking software. 

As part of the partnership, Sawatch will integrate vehicle data from Reveal to perform a range of EV analytics, including feasibility and infrastructure planning. 

The analytics by Sawatch are designed to meet “drivers’ needs” and support customized suggestions on fleet procurement, assignments, and size.

See more: Verizon and Google Cloud Partnering on 5G Mobile Edge Computing

The integration between Verizon Connect and Sawatch Labs will help fleets decide budget, timing, and charging or “everything they need to consider in the process, leaving nothing to chance,” said Erin Cave, director of product Management, Verizon Connect. 

Partnering with Verizon Connect will help ensure fleet customers have the “real-time insights required to optimize their vehicle purchasing decisions,” said Sarah Booth, COO, Sawatch Labs. 

See more: Verizon: Enterprise 5G Review