Every day the digital connections that we rely on for work, rest and play grow. Gartner predicts that there will be 4.9 billion connected things this year. And 40 percent of the world is now online, that’s over three billion people.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has reached the mainstream, and we’re now experiencing the next big phase of mobility. In the Gemalto Netsize Guide 2015, we take a deep dive into this era of mass connectivity.
For ten years, the Gemalto Netsize Guide has taken the pulse of the mobile industry. It used to focus on mobile’s impact on people and companies, but this year things are different. More and more things are tapping into mobility, from connected cars and home automation, to wearable devices and, slowly but surely, smart cities.
This year’s report focuses on the impact the IoT is having on our commute, the way we work, and how we spend our leisure time. Made up of a series of viewpoints, the Gemalto Netsize Guide lays out the latest thinking on where we are headed.
Connected travel is improving the way we travel. Car manufacturers have finally got wise to the potential of connectivity and are rapidly deploying technology to make the ride smoother, quicker and more entertaining.
We explore future potential car-leasing models, interview the global director of Jaguar Land Rover’s Connected Car division, and discover how technology is revolutionizing car insurance. We hear how NFC and SMS are changing public transport and learn about Singapore’s attempts to build a truly smart city.
Machine-to-machine (M2M) technology will be the thing that drives the engine of the IoT. We’ve spoken about this before, but its impact on agriculture, utilities, transport and healthcare cannot be understated.
In this section we cover the Limmex Emergency Smartwatch that lets their owners get assistance at the touch of a button. The head of security research at Sophos discusses IoT security implications. And our very own Manfred Kube touches on how new advancements in M2M technology are enabling many industrial devices to come online for the first time.
The applications of M2M technology are almost endless, and in just one example, we explore how it might be used to tackle the global decline of honey bee populations.
For many, one of the most interesting aspects of the IoT are the cool new connected gadgets. In this part, we look into smart locks for our houses, discreet wearable fitness trackers and the rise of the smartwatch.
We also touch on the power of NFC to help brands better get their message across and wonder if there will ever be a day when we don’t need a million passwords for our online lives.
The report ends with a look to future and how technology is becoming increasingly intelligent. As connectivity increases we are yet to figure out its true impact on our global society.
We hope you find the Gemalto Netsize Guide 2015 an interesting read, and would love to hear your thoughts on it either here in the comments or on Twitter @Gemalto.
We’ll be posting insights from the report over the next few months, so do keep a look out!
