Five IoT Trends in 2019

Throughout 2018 we’ve seen IoT growing exponentially in all sections of life. More people are seen walking with wearable gadgets like SmartWatch or FitBit, more homes are equipped with smart assistants like Alexa, and businesses are now optimizing their operations with different IoT managed solutions. It is safe to say that IoT is not going anywhere any time soon. If you’re looking to capitalize on this market, here are five IoT Trends to look out for in 2019.

Faster, Better, Stronger Connectivity
There are 17 billion connected devices in the world, with 7 billion of them being IoT devices. That number almost exceeds the population of the world at 7.7 billion people. With more devices connected to the internet than ever before, networks are getting more congested, and people are beginning to push for a stronger and more reliable connection, namely the 5G Connectivity.

Of all the companies developing mobile 5G, last December America’s telecommunication carrier, AT&T, has launched their version in select neighborhoods. Right behind them, China Mobile is said to roll out theirs to major Chinese cities in the first half of 2019. What does this mean for the rest of the world? We’re about to see a new generation of tech and industry disruptors. Are you ready for that?

Manufacturing and Medical Industry
The IoT is driving the digital transformation in several industries. Utilizing sensors, RFID tags, and other devices have helped manufacturers stay efficient and agile. Additionally, having the IoT managed as a service helps companies transition into the digital revolution with ease. One of them being InTank; Telkomsel’s managed solution for bulk liquid inventory.

In 2018, we are seeing how InTank is changing the way supply chain management is run. It manages inventories, keeps everything visibly secure, prevents theft and accidents, improves performance. This streamlined the way companies run their business, therefore provides them with more time and space to grow. This is one of the many IoT devices that we’ve seen giving huge impact to businesses. It is no surprise that market analysts predict the number of connected devices in the manufacturing industry will double between 2017 and 2020.

Medical Industry has also been predicted to adopt IoT technology as much as 87% of healthcare organizations by 2019. The IoT is introduced to help with patient monitoring, reducing cost and fostering innovation. From electronic health records, remote health monitoring, managing sensitive data, and more.

Increased Security at End Points
IoT devices are vulnerable to attacks from many fronts. In 2018 alone, 78% of malware detection events in communication service provider (CSP) networks are accounted to IoT botnet activities. That’s double the rate seen in 2016.

With new technologies coming up, and more IoT devices going into the market, malware threats could get worse. This is why in 2019 we’ll be seeing more endpoint security solutions added into the usual data loss prevention systems. Getting insights into your network’s health and threat protection while having privileged user control will increasingly become an important asset to your business.

Living Areas Will Now Be Smart Areas
In 2018, the Indonesian government planned to develop 100 smart cities throughout the nation. Some of them are DKI Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya, and many others. What makes these cities smart is their ability to gather information through surveillance cameras and video kiosks connected to the internet. It helps with development planning, transportation, waste management, and more.

Jakarta Smart City, for instance, has partnered with Qlue since 2015 to monitor traffic, bus schedule, flooding and more. Their command center works just as well as Bandung’s who also has e-Punten which helps people living temporarily in the city get documented (Surat Keterangan Tinggal Sementara). Semarang keeps all government services and developments updated in real time in their Situation Room. Here they also monitor the current commodity food prices, along with traffic, bus schedules, flooding and security condition.

In the future, smart cities will use big data to help beyond daily city management and into developing safer, cleaner, healthier, eco-conscious communities.

Connected Smart Vehicles
Experts predicted that self-driving cars will be popular by 2020. It is well known that Google is already ahead of the curve as they’ve successfully started testing their autonomous cars.

For 2019, trends in cars are solidly moving towards built-in internet services that will enhance the car’s functions. We’ve seen cars with their own apps, voice search, and maps that provide real-time traffic updates. This year, we’ll be seeing a surge of them with the additional ability to do a diagnostic check on the car’s tire pressure, oil level, and fuel consumption.

IoT services like Telkomsel FleetSight has made use of this technology. This fleet management solution allows fleet business owners to monitor the condition and location of their vehicles, get alerts whenever their truck is due for a check-up, or if their vehicle has triggered one of the customized safety rules.

This is an exciting time to be in. Better technology is made available to us faster than ever before. It is our job to integrate our business as best as we can to move along with the time. If you’re thinking of digitally transforming your business to fit an IoT Solution, come talk to us and let’s figure out the many opportunities that will open up for you.