What does IoT has in store for 2018?

The IoT market saw a considerable growth in 2017. 2018 will see it becoming more common but less obvious. There will be an increase in the number of connected devices, as well as IoT-driven projects. However, it will also become something people won’t necessarily think about, owing to its widespread use.

The coming year will see IoT markets consolidating and growing more integrated. The number of IoT platforms surged to more than 450 in 2017 and IoT platform revenue increased 116 percent in 2017. Some of the smaller IoT platforms will begin to fall away or merge with rival platforms most likely. As the public begins to deploy a growing number of connected devices, consolidation and continued integration will also be prevalent in the consumer realm in 2018.

The IoT related privacy and security concerns won’t slow down its adoption. The benefits of IoT technology with respect to convenience and efficiency continue to grow more apparent.

The technical barriers to IoT will fade, but the talent gap will still remain a hurdle. Plug-and-play IoT will replace expensive, lengthy, super-technical installations that have inhibited adoption. However, data scientists and security experts will remain indispensable for many IoT deployments.

The coming year will also see 3G-driven IoT deployments fade into obscurity. In 2018, fewer IoT projects will rely on 3G connectivity amidst the shift to technologies such as 5G and Cat-M1.

The industrial use of AR technology is also expected to gain ground but will remain immature. With the second iteration of Google Glass or the Microsoft Hololens for industrial and maintenance applications, there are a growing number of companies testing the use of augmented reality tools.