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IoT Hype Might Have Suddenly Arrived to an End, New Study Showed

Vendors and users have predicted that nothing can stop the growth of IoT (Internet of Things), but new reports say otherwise. The Internet of Things (IoT) has been sharply rising for a while now, but the analyses of it show that its backlash is almost here. GlobalData conducted the study mentioned above which shows that venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions activity have been suffering oscillating fortunes from 2014 to 2018.

Venture Capital (VC) funding in IoT space decreased in 2017 in terms of value, although it was achieving growth in previous years, 2015 and 2016. The deal value listed a growth of 8.3% in 2018 again, in spite of its loss in volume. In general, VC deal value increased by 10.4% at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Even so, deal volume decreased at a CAGR of 9.9% from 2014 to 2018, implying a growing average deal size.

Both U.S. and Chinese companies accounted for two positions each of the top five VC funded companies during the inspected period. The U.S. based firms named Magic Leap and Carbon3D both raised $2.8 billion, and the Chinese ones, namely Xiaomi and Horizon Robotics justified for an entire disclosed funding value of $1.2 billion. A Swedish company, Spotify, made it to the top five as well, having a total published funding value of $526 million.

IoT (Internet of Things) might come to an end even before starting, due to lack of investors

Several projects collapse and failure in the last years have made the investors cautious amidst the idealism for IoT technology and its application across distinct areas, Aurojyoti Bose, Financial Deals Analyst at GlobalData​ have reportedly said.

So, what diminished the hype around IoT are the project failures and the security concerns, as shown in the declining VC deal volume between 2017-2018. Still, the rise in deal value but the decline in volume indicates the fact that investors are in search of safe bets and favor investing only in minor but promising companies, Bose added.

While this may be true, M&A volume rose at a CAGR of 5.1% in the reviewed period, with an expansion staying true across all the years, except for 2017. In the meantime, M&A deal value decreased at a CAGR of 38.6% during the analyze. The high M&A deal value in 2014 and 2015 was principal because of big-ticket purchases like the $37 billion acquisition of Broadcom Corporation by Avago Technologies, $16.7 billion purchase of Altera Corporation by Intel, and Google’s $3.2 billion acquisition of Nest Labs.

The U.S. accounted for the dominant share in M&A deals with more than 50% contribution of deal volume and about 75% share in the total revealed deal value, during years 2014 and 2018, followed by China, UK, and France.

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The New Tech Revolution is Spearheaded by IoT

In recent times IoT started to become popular as consumer and industrial products became available all over the world.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution will be one of the most interesting topics discussed during the 2019 World Economic Forum. The main aim is to continue the development of a world that is evolving in order to be more transparent, effective and independent. IoT place a critical role in this equation by providing access to clear information.

Current businesses are embracing IoT systems that allow them to monitor and optimize their workflow in order to boost overall performance. As IoT continue to expand a new type of cross-industry will appear, one in which the sides share common goals and interest that benefit both the shareholders and the general public at the same time.

Below you can find some of the main benefits provided by IoT systems.

  1. Improved security for work environments

Work environments are filled with a wide variety of safety hazards. A comprehensive IoT array is able to measure important factors like air purity, the level of humidity and the amount of lighting that is present in a given area. Wearable accessories will ensure the safety of workers and signal any potential issues in order to avoid unfortunate events.

  1. Better healthcare services

IoT devices can be used by doctors in order to monitor and treat patients in real-time without the need to bring them to their office or visit them at home. This has the potential to reduce the pressure placed on the healthcare system and reduce ongoing costs.

  1. Anticipate and prevent natural disasters

Seismic sensors are already able to anticipate earthquakes and a wide array of different sensors are currently in development.

  1. Boost delivery speed for commercial services

IoT sensors can be used in order to monitor vehicle movement and optimize transportation routes in real-time, allowing companies to reduce fuel costs and minimize delays.

A united ecosystem will pave to way to real progress but an effective strategy will be needed in order to facilitate the transition.

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Finance News Tech

The Rise of IoT Devices and the Impact on Business

The Internet of Things was seen as an expensive gimmick at first but the technology has become popular among consumer and industrial clients alike.

In the case of consumers there are already a lot of well-known IoT solutions that can make their life better. For example, they can use smart assistants like Alexa to control various settings in a smart house, like temperature level, light intensity, music volume and much more.

But IoT is able to do so much more. Read below to learn how it can be used to improve the performance of your business.

Access to more data allows better analysis of the workflow

Many businesses opted to install an array of sensors on their production lines, in their warehouses and on delivery vehicles. The information that can be gathered can prevent unexpected damage, lead to the optimization of the line and boost the overall productivity level.

Companies can understand customers better

Cameras and other sensors can reveal important information about customer behavior. This information can be used in order to create effective sales strategies that can significantly influence how many products are sold during a specific campaign and learn what can be done in the future in order to optimize the process.

Reducing maintenance cost

The smart sensors that were previously mentioned are able to anticipate if a particular component will become defective and suggest proactive repairs. The maintenance division will be able to solve the problem faster and the costs of doing the job will be considerably lower.

Providing a superior customer experience

An IoT sensor suit in the form of a camera array will allow companies to provide a superior customer experience that will keep existing customers engaged and attract new customers in the future.

The Internet of Things is already reshaping many aspects of the industry. Those that have already implemented IoT solutions have noticed significant improvements. It is expected that more companies will begin to implement smart protocols in the future.

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News Tech

Streets are Safer now Thanks to IoT-Enabled Cars, Scooters and Bikes

New data types and sources breed new traffic solutions.

Bike shares and dockless electric scooters, no matter if they are human-powered or electric, they are still Internet of Things (IoT) devices. They and the smartphones used to activate them never stop generating data from integrated sensors which from there are transmitted to the systems of the companies where they come from. The information shared includes how long each ride takes, the location of each connected bicycle, which docks are full and which ones need to be restocked. All this happens in real time which somehow sounds futurists, does not it?

The system data of New York’s Citi Bike is publicly available for engineers, developers, and statisticians in case they want to use that information for development, analysis or they only want to visualize it. The decisions we make regarding municipal infrastructures and transportation will be influenced by the more open these data and technologies become.

Connected bikes and scooters provide data which can be continuously streamed and made into integral components of a fully responsive and functional interconnected grid which afterward process big data unprecedented in its variability, volume, and velocity.

The hub for similar mobility data types collected from sensors and hardware will also benefit from this especially the ones embedded within traditional and autonomous vehicles,  law enforcement networks, public transit systems, healthcare facilities, transportation grids, weather monitors, and more.

More focused insights will be produced by this mobility data at its most functional level, most related to peak commute times, fleet management, heavily trafficked corridors,  and other transit metrics that help to get the significant benefits of the “connected city” enhanced. Congestion cost $305 billion last year in the US alone, according to transportation consulting firm INRIX and it increased with $10 billion from 2016.

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News Tech

How to Defend your Office from IoT Vulnerabilities?

The Internet of Things has simplified many of the tasks that take place in an office but it also offers s potential gateway for prospective hackers.  As the number of IoT objects increases the office becomes more vulnerable in the case of a potential attack.

Those that wish to prevent any potential issues should follow these steps in order to keep the office safe.

Use a different username and a strong password

Many devices share the same username and password in order to make the setup process more accessible. It is advised to change the default information in order to increase the security level of your devices.

Keep the software updated

Security patches are released constantly. It is advised to always update all the devices that require an internet connection since security patches will eliminate many popular exploits that can be used malicious entities.

Buy devices that can be secured

In many cases many IoT devices won’t receive security patches (or any patches at all). It is advised to check the security features of a device before it is bought. If the device relies on an external cloud platform in order to work properly a little bit of research is needed in order to assess the security level and vulnerability potential of the platform.

Identify and list all the devices that are connected to the company network.

This is a vital step. A comprehensive list of all the smart devices that can be found in the office will allow you to quickly spot and remove and potential vulnerabilities.

Ban old and unauthorized devices from the network

If an object is no longer used it should be removed from the network. The same rule is available for unknown devices that are attempting to connect to the network.

Use powerful security solutions

A strong antivirus and encryption solution are a must for any office that relies on a network.

Be on guard at all times

In most cases hackers go after small companies since they don’t tend to invest a lot in cybersecurity. It is important to be prepared against any potential threats.

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