The meaning of ‘connectivity’ has transformed completely in the past decade, courtesy of the Internet of Things (IoT). Initially, connectivity was only relevant to smartphones and laptops, but recent technological advancements have stretched connectivity to smart homes, connected cars, smart retail, healthcare systems, and smart cities.

As the internet becomes faster and big shot internet providers aim for economical internet plans like low AT&T Internet Cost, internet connection has become a staple commodity. This means more internet usage, and more devices connected to the internet.

And that’s not just smartphones, but billions of IoT devices. The prediction is that 75 billion devices are due to arrive by 2025 in the market. This makes us curious about the future of IoT.

As per the global IoT market, the Internet of things was valued at a whopping $690 billion in 2019 and by 2020 the market was expected to reach a spectacular $1256.1 billion valuation.

This incredible growth of IoT connected devices is revolutionizing how we live and solve our problems. Those who don’t give much weight to this technology are underestimating IoT’s growth and power. The impact of IoT can stretch quite far and wide, leaving no stone unturned.

What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?

Internet of Things, which is quite popularly known as IoT, is a network of devices that are connected to the internet and interact with each other. They are not just our communication devices connected to the internet like smartphones, laptops, but extends to anything and everything that can be connected to the internet.

IoT benefits us with its capability of synchronized data sharing among all objects connected to the internet, which improves resource sharing and delivers ultimate consumer convenience and comfort.

Top Predictions about the Growth of Internet of Things (IoT)

In the second half of the 19th century, only around 4% of people were aware of communications technology. Fast forward to the 21st century, more than 20.8 billion people are not only familiar with the concept of the Internet of Things but are living its myriad advantages. Internet and hyper-connectivity are the new normal for us; the upcoming progress and growth in IoT will render us even more intimate with novel technologies.

So here are some of the top predictions about the Internet of Things, its growth, and its domination of the future world by some industry tech gurus.

 IoT will Intersect with Artificial Intelligence

IoT works by transferring and sharing data over the network. But over a period of time, huge amounts of data is accumulated, which organizations are quite not sure how to manage and process. This data is a treasure trove of consumer behavior and private information, and it is cardinal that this sensitive data is handled with extreme care.

That’s where Machine Learning, a branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI), comes into play. With AI, computers can work programs without delving into programming language. They can be programmed with such behavior that will enable them to process data based on specific parameters such as customer preference as they receive it.

This convergence of two technologies gives rise to data processing on a gigantic level as IoT permits the flow of data between devices and AI. Thus, AI will aid the IoT revolution and secure its future.

5G is the Boost IoT needs 

A lot of us are obsessed with 5G — the latest generation of the mobile network. Due to its multi-Gbps internet speeds, high reliability, humongous network capacity, ultra-low latency, and uniform user experience, more countries are aiming to speed up the adoption of 5G. In a decade, we will see IoT grow alongside 5G network connections.

At the moment, 4G networks only support 5500-6000 Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) devices on one cell.  However, a faster and better coverage with the 5G network, millions of IoT devices will be handled by a single cell. This makes 5G a propellant of IoT into the future.

Unwanted Access will be Blocked by Routers

Ultra-modern households that are smart and connected have become quite popular these days. However, they will be even rifer in the future with IoT, and definitely more secure. A futuristic world of IoT envisions a stable and secure home, free from the threats of cybercriminals and hackers aiming to steal your private data.

A smart home ecosystem includes security cameras, smart locks, smart TV, increased luxury, and comfort. Unfortunately, this makes smart homes even more vulnerable to cyberattacks as every household appliance is connected over the internet. However, a good router can resolve this issue by protecting all entry points of your home. A router will secure configurations like firewalls and passwords.

Weaponization of IoT for War and Attacks

However unpalatable the thought of weaponizing a hyper-connected technology is, it is the truth. Security stakeholders are not going to stay behind and let their rivals get the better of them with developments in weapons. Thus, the application of IoT in this field is a given, particularly in the IT security and tech industry.

Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, powered by Botnet, have shut down websites via unsecured IoT devices, on quite a few occasions. But the future reeks of many sophisticated attacks, with IoT devices, weaponized to control smart equipment and devices in the enemy country.

Smart Cars will be Everywhere

Smart cars are here today, but they are not so common. The future is predicted to be full of smart cars. With the onset of 5G, the automotive industry will be more inclined to ride the fastest gear.

This is surely going to be the future of automotive companies with plenty of driverless cars and connected vehicles driving on the roads. The new smart cars will interact with other IoT devices, which will actually manage the driving duty.

What Does the Future of IoT Look Like?

IoT is no longer confined to big-shot tech companies and multinational corporations. IoT is integrating into healthcare industry, banking process, design, manufacturing, operations, and the foundations of smart cities.

IoT industry has improved and fine-tuned many methodologies on the management, analysis, and modeling of the colossal data in the upcoming years. IoT technology is packed with unlimited potential when it comes to its application and its impact on the way of life in the future. IoT devices are only bound to increase in size and usage in the future.