\tFor an IoT industry analyst, CES is a real treat.<\/p>\n
[1]Naturally, some connected devices on show left me scratching my head (connected underwear, anyone?) But I look at it through the lens of how we segment IoT at GSMA Intelligence: consumer vs. industrial or enterprise opportunities. We see both being massive markets (see chart, click to enlarge), but the latter growing at a faster rate. However, after wandering through the CES halls for a few days, I came to a few new conclusions about consumer tech. More than just consumer tech, though, they tell us something about IoT as a whole.<\/p>\n
IoT is meaningless without data and analytics. Ginni Rometty, IBM CEO, dubbed AI as the \u201cworld\u2019s greatest natural resource\u201d during her keynote, and a technology that will empower revolutions across multiple IoT segments from smart cities to healthcare, transportation to robotics. There\u2019s a lot to digest there\u2026 and I fully agree. We often highlight the fact that connecting devices alone isn\u2019t what IoT is about. The real value comes from IoT data translated into actionable insights. So I was glad to hear that event organiser CTA recognised that as well, announcing a new megatrend at CES Unveiled: the data age. An age where consumer choices or business decisions are reached and supported by data. This was an underlying narrative during the show \u2013 how to translate sensor intelligence into tangible results. As one example, John Deere, a CES first time exhibitor, showcased just that. It brought its connected harvester to the showfloor and I even managed to hitch a ride in a self-driving tractor. Pretty impressive. The reasons behind implementing precision farming are clear, go beyond cost saving and yield increase to feeding our ever growing population. John Deere achieves this via a mix of connectivity and data analytics.<\/p>\n
Voice brings the smart home together. Google\u2019s presence at CES was overwhelming. \u201cHey Google\u201d was plastered all over the monorail, a Google \u201cfun ride\u201d was just in front of CES\u2019 central hall, and a slew of device manufacturers added the \u201cWorks with Google Assistant\u201d sticker. Google also had people in lots of partner booths. Why\u2019s that important? It flags that Google is spending some serious bucks on integrating with partners. Fear not, Amazon Alexa was not forgotten and added to new products, quite often alongside Google. As a result of increased reach, according to GSMA Intelligence\u2019s new Consumer Survey, smart speakers\u2019 household adoption has doubled to 15-20% across the US\/Western Europe [2]. Although (typically) absent from the show, Apple made its way into the spotlight as well through new Home Kit partnerships. Why is this important? One simple reason: smart speakers have emerged as the prominent voice-control computing platform for smart homes [3], leading to the \u2018resurrection\u2019 of voice as a user interface. An open ecosystem offers the ability to scale up and extend market reach.<\/p>\n
Ageing baby boomers get connected. Independent\/assisted living solutions were on full display at CES this year and went beyond just alerts based on basic connectivity. The ultimate goal is to allow seniors to maintain independence for as long as possible, using a combination of wearables, beacons, sensors, and cameras with an AI overlay. Using AI powered platforms alongside sensors adds value and helps to manage daily activities. For example, Hive Link Connected Care learns a seniors\u2019 routine using multiple connected devices and alerts the caregiver when an anomaly and\/or inactivity occurs. Similarly, CarePredict monitors ADL (Activities of Daily Living), training neural nets based on individual behaviour and enabling\u00a0preventative actions once changes in daily activities have been detected. Such services can also be an add-on to the carer\u2019s existing smart home security service, e.g. Wellcam, an Alarm.com service. This is still a nascent market with \u201ca trial and error\u201d approach to service provision. The addressable market is rather large \u2013 according to the United Nations there are almost 1 billion people aged 60+ globally and this will double by 2050 to almost 2.1 billion, equivalent to 13% and 21%, respectively, of the total population.<\/p>\n
Wearables get healthier. Omron is a great example. The company essentially miniaturised a traditional blood pressure monitor and turned it into a wrist watch, Omron HeartGuide. It isn\u2019t pretty but that isn\u2019t its purpose. Managing medical conditions using medical grade devices and analysing data via a secure platform with a built-in AI engine, which then reports to a physician for a diagnosis and treatment, is an ultimate goal. This can result in reduction in healthcare spend (which accounted for 18% of GDP in the US in 2017). Net net, it delivers a real and measurable value. Understandably, the US is an outlier here \u2013 private insurance offers more opportunity for health device adoption to manage costs. Other barriers to adoption include behaviour (patient and clinician) as well as reimbursement structure and regulation. But we\u2019re seeing a real definitive shift towards a more preventative approach to healthcare \u2013 and wearables can help.<\/p>\n
My favourite new tagline. #LikeaBosch is the tagline of a new global image campaign to highlight the company\u2019s capabilities to deliver connected experiences. It was funny. It also drove home a message that there are still things that can be connected and interconnected to deliver better experiences. Should they be? Well that\u2019s another question. Probably not everyone needs a connected coffee machine or lawnmower.<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0Sylwia Kechiche\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Principal Analyst,\u00a0GSMA Intelligence<\/p>\n
The editorial views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and will not necessarily reflect the views of the GSMA, its Members or Associate Members.<\/p>\n[1] https:\/\/www.mobileworldlive.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IoT.jpg
\n[2] https:\/\/www.gsmaintelligence.com\/research\/2019\/01\/future-of-devices-smartphones-ai-immersion-and-beyond\/717\/
\n[3] https:\/\/www.gsmaintelligence.com\/research\/2018\/08\/smart-home-from-niche-to-mainstream-by-2025\/687\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For an IoT industry analyst, CES is a real treat. Naturally, some connected devices on …<\/p>\n
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