The 5 IoT Network Trends to Watch

An “Internet of Things” (IoT) solution is a system of interconnected devices that can communicate with the internet and other smart products. With the IoT industry more relevant than ever in today’s world, here are our top picks for IoT network trends that you should look out for.

1. Continued IoT Network growth
   
   Given the continuously rising number of IoT devices, it’s impossible to overlook the fact that the industry is expected to remain strong in the coming years. As we mentioned in our IoT Platform Guide the number of these smart products has increased from 2 billion to 200 billion in the past 15 years. Thus, we expect this demand to fuel innovation in the industry moving forward.
   
   
2. Benefits in a range of sectors
   
   IoT networks already contribute to the rising productivity and efficiency in numerous markets, but there’s still a lot of potential for even more benefits in areas such as Healthcare and Retail. For instance, in the former, increasing numbers of medical equipment (from heart rate monitors to wheelchairs) have IoT connections now. Meanwhile IoT hubs can continue to improve inventory management and even monitor things like social distancing in a variety of sectors.
   
   
3. Importance of an IoT Hub
   
   Speaking of which, the need for Smart Buildings to implement a more centralised, intuitive IoT system should become more apparent over the next few years. Indeed, services such as OpenBlue already offer users a connected suite of IoT solutions to enhance security and protect commercial assets across your smart device network. The importance of this will only grow as cyber threats become more advanced.
   
   
4. IoT devices and remote working
   
   With the future of workplaces still uncertain for many, IoT networks are going to become even more crucial when it comes to remote business operations. Employees in many industries are likely to continue to work across office spaces and at home. Thus, IoT devices will be essential to the way we work for some time to come.
   
   
5. 5G opportunities
   
   The rollout of 5G mobile networks will continue to provide more widespread IoT access, and create even more opportunities for smart device connectivity. It will make mobile internet access easier and more powerful, which in turn should create a better platform for IoT networks to flourish. Expect to see new system solutions and unique connectivity ideas as 5G grows in usage.

Johnson Controls’ role in IoT Hubs

The connected experiences that OpenBlue provides led us to be named “Overall IoT Company of the Year” in 2020. Therefore, the effectiveness of our Digital Solutions, as well as the role we aim to play in providing secure IoT networks, remains significant in this space.

In addition to this, George Oliver was recently named "IoT Company CEO of the Year" through the IoT Breakthrough Awards Program 2022.

If you’d like to read more about Johnson Controls and our IoT solutions, check out our range of OpenBlue Systems Here.