The value of IoT products is not in their technology or Internet connectivity, the value is the information that smart devices collect and turn into a guide to action. In fact, the sensor itself or the application, for example, is not important for parking - the information is important: where is it easy and quick to park a car during rush hour.
An integral part of the "Internet of Things" is their interface and usability, because such "smart" gadgets have to interact not only with the user, but also with each other.
By combining data from various sources, an almost endless information flow is formed, which will be useful for various areas, from medicine and science to transport logistics and mining.
The IoT already analyzes large streams of data from multiple devices and applications at the same time. The “smart home” solution is based on a specific smart center or module with which you can control a group of devices, light bulbs, electrical appliances, alarm and heating systems in apartments and houses.
Today, with the development of technologies, they are already becoming cheaper and massively growing. By collecting systems of “smart houses” and cars into one infrastructure, we will get a super-system, the data of which can be used to satisfy both private and collective interests.
Fitness apps like Google Fit are good examples of this use of information. They process information from fitness trackers, smart bracelets, smartwatches and form an overall picture of health status, physical activity, as well as possible problems with heart rate, blood sugar levels and body temperature. If you add to this an online platform for doctors and hospitals, you get a super-platform for managing the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of people.
But there are also blind spots in this ideal Internet of Things world. The challenge is how to intelligently combine different platforms and devices from different vendors and at the same time avoid the risk of information leakage and their unauthorized use. The following hybrid tools are already being developed to work on various devices and platforms: Samsung SmartThings and Apple HomeKit for smart home solutions; Dash and Mojio for intelligent machine control; Validic and Jawbone UP - for health monitoring.
Further, the tasks become even more complicated. If you close a lot of data that was received from smart devices on one or more platforms, the value of such data is lost. The next step is to work on integrating the various platforms so that thermostats are linked to your smart car, fitness trackers are linked to shopping services, and watches are linked to electronic security in your home or office.
In turn, developer-consumer engagement has spawned giants like Instagram, WeChat, Uber, and even Angry Birds. Multibillion-dollar businesses arose from the wishes of consumers, not from the idea of developers. Thus, everyone can contribute to the application they will use. This is the main driver for the growth of the “Internet of Things”.
To create a product, developers open access to users and potential buyers to suggest, develop and use new ideas for already working platforms. Some of these platforms are Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto, which give car manufacturers access to their technologies.
In the short term, not only houses, but also cities and states will become “smart”. Even the most experienced experts now find it difficult to predict the future of the IoT, but it is already clear that its possibilities are endless.