The Growth of The Internet of Things

The Internet of Things has been growing into the technology sector and becoming the latest hot topic. Recently I read two interesting articles about the growth of the Internet of Things. Vala Afshar published a good article in The Huffington Post, explaining in detail what is the Internet of Things, what are their consequences, challenges, opportunities and concerns. Defining the Internet of Things (IoT): simply a concept wherein machines and everyday objects are connected via the Internet. Within the IoT, devices are controlled and monitored remotely and usually wirelessly. Afshar published slides with 40 IoT solutions:

According the article, the growth of Internet of Things opens up opportunities for businesses and people with the right skills. These skills include network design, data analysis, data security, and engineering. Mckinsey projects the need for 1.5 million additional managers and analysts "with a sharp understanding of how big data can be applied" in the United States. Gartner has predicted there will be 4.4 million global big data jobs by 2015, only one-third of which will be filled.

IDC predicts that the IoT will include 212 billion things globally by the end of 2020. IDC's Vernon Turner said: "The momentum of the Internet of Things is driven by a number of factors. There is no doubt that business and consumer demand exists and will continue to expand for IoT solutions. I expect the current IoT use cases are just the tip of the iceberg". Some enablers to the rise of IoT include:

. Ongoing development of smart cities, cars, and houses
. Enhanced connectivity infrastructure
. An increasingly connected culture.

Gil Press also published a good article in Forbes entitled: It's Official: The Internet Of Things Takes Over Big Data As The Most Hyped Technology. He mentioned that Gartner recently released its latest Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies. The Internet of Things, says Gartner, “is becoming a vibrant part of our, our customers’ and our partners’ business and IT landscape.”

Source: Gartner, August 2014

In its Hype Cycle Special Report Gartner says that “While interest in big data remains undiminished, it has moved beyond the peak because the market has settled into a reasonable set of approaches, and the new technologies and practices are additive to existing solutions.”