From manufacturing to real estate and architecture, the Internet of Things (IoT) covers more and more industries. Even if you are unaware of what constitutes this technology, you certainly face the work of connected devices in your day-to-day life. The application of IoT for private use is primarily comfort. For various sectors, it means a competitive edge, plenty of benefits, and continuous development, because networks of dedicated devices are constantly being improved. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), cloud computing, and other technologies make IoT more powerful and complicated but at the same time, more affordable for different domains.
This article guides you along key aspects of IoT work. It uncovers components of the technology, advantages and challenges of adoption, the best software, and some tips to choose the most suitable IoT platform for your business. After reading this material, you’ll have a full understanding of the Internet of Things phenomenon.
The Internet of Things is the network of physical objects (“things”) equipped with sensors, software, and different technologies to connect and exchange data between devices and systems over the Internet. It is used to enable various applications and services, such as remote monitoring, automation, data analysis, and control. A simple example of IoT at work is a smart thermostat. The device connects to the internet, enabling remote temperature control and scheduling through a mobile app based on sensor data.
IoT system consists of four main components: sensors, connectivity, data processing, and user interface. First, smart devices collect data from the environment, for instance, temperature, humidity, GPS coordinates, power consumption, etc. Then, collected data is sent to the cloud through cellular, satellite, WiFi, Bluetooth, and other methods. Once raw data gets to the cloud, it must be processed and analyzed to derive insights, make informed decisions, and trigger appropriate actions. Finally, processed data are sent to the end user via mobile apps, web interfaces, or wearable devices. Here humans interact with IoT systems.
The number of domains that have implemented IoT applications is constantly growing. Almost limitless possibilities of technology bring more and more use cases that transform the functioning of enterprises on different levels. Today, the Internet of Things apps are actively used in logistics, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, agriculture, transportation, smart cities, the energy sector, and others.
Related reading: Top IoT Use Cases Across Industries
All devices, IoT sensors, actuators, and cloud services mentioned above require a comprehensive software solution to manage and control them. So this is where the IoT platform comes in. The IoT platform is a set of tools and services for developing, deploying, and managing IoT applications and devices. It uses partner and embedded systems, middleware, data collection, analytics, device management, and smart technologies. Among the numerous benefits of IoT platforms are simplified development, scalability, customization, and cost efficiency, as ready-made tools and services help reduce the costs required for building IoT solutions from scratch.
There is no single way to pick the right IoT platform for your organization. The choice depends on several factors, such as business model, current capabilities, and the devices you’re using or planning to use. Below we have collected tips and recommendations to guide you in finding the ideal IoT platform for your business.
Knowledge of the helpful functions offered by different software vendors is key to choosing the right IoT platform. Not all products on the market have an identical set of IoT tools. And here is a list of some important features and elements worth paying attention to in selecting the best solution for your company’s digital transformation.
Real-time analytics. The procedure empowers users to gain immediate insights from the continuous data flow generated by system devices. This enables timely decision-making and rapid issue detection, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency.
Cloud services. IoT product must seamlessly integrate with cloud platforms for data storage, processing, and integration with other business systems.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning integration. AI and ML algorithms help to identify patterns, predict outcomes, and automate responses. As a result, using these smart technologies leads to improved predictive maintenance, real-time anomaly detection, optimized resource allocation, and the ability to adapt to changing conditions.
IoT security. The platform must provide robust security measures to protect data, devices, and communications from cyber threats. Typically, this involves data encryption, access control, firmware updates, API security, regular auditing and monitoring for any suspicious activity.
Edge computing. Processing data closer to the source (devices) rather than sending everything to a centralized cloud reduces latency and improves response times.
Related reading: IoT Monitoring Software
It is important to ensure that IoT software is compatible with all system devices because some solutions have limitations on IoT hardware. In this case, you need to check all the devices of the IoT network work with the software. Otherwise, you risk facing operational inefficiencies, data integration challenges, and potential disruptions in your network.
IoT software should easily integrate with your existing systems, databases, and APIs. This allows you to streamline data flow between different system components and leverage the full potential of your IoT deployment.
As your IoT deployment grows, the software should be able to accommodate an increasing number of devices, users, and data volume. Scalability ensures that the software’s performance doesn’t degrade as you expand, providing a consistent and reliable user experience.
Research customer reviews and case studies from your domain. Don’t limit yourself to just official websites, as that’s where companies often post fake reviews. Consider multiple independent review platforms like G2 Crowd, Capterra, and TrustRadius.
The IoT software market is growing alongside the number of IoT devices. And it will continue to evolve as the capabilities of technology become more advanced. Today, there are enough IoT platforms that different businesses can use. Below is the list of the most popular Internet of Things platforms with detailed descriptions.
The IBM Watson IoT Platform is a comprehensive and cloud-based solution that facilitates collecting, storing, and organizing data generated by connected devices and sensors. It assists businesses in building, deploying, and managing IoT solutions across various industries. The platform is smart, secure, and scalable. It includes advanced analytics tools for processing and analyzing IoT data to derive actionable insights, trends, performance patterns, and anomalies.
The IBM Watson IoT Platform supports a wide range of device types and communication protocols, including REST and MQTT. Another key advantage is easy integration with other IBM services, as well as with third-party systems and applications. Users can remotely manage and monitor IoT devices via the centralized dashboard. It can be customized by adding custom widgets that display specific data, graphs, or metrics. However, the IBM Watson IoT Platform is only available in English, and some users find its price too high.
Google Cloud IoT Core is a fully-managed service to securely connect, manage, and collect data from multiple devices at scale. It offers a set of IoT tools and services to simplify the building and deploying applications. One of its key features is seamless integration with other Google Cloud services (Google Cloud Pub/Sub), allowing users to leverage data analytics, machine learning, and data storage capabilities. The secure connection of IoT devices to the cloud is provided by standard protocols like MQTT and HTTP, device authentication, end-to-end encryption, and access controls.
This complete solution from Google offers device simulation capabilities to test and simulate their behaviour before deploying devices in real-world scenarios. It claims to be the most reliable cloud service, with an uptime of 99.5%. Unfortunately, Google shut down its IoT platform. Since August 16, 2023, Google Cloud IoT Core no longer supports IoT devices and applications. Users have to look for alternative solutions.
Blynk’s solution offers a full suite of software to quickly prototype, launch, and manage electronic devices at any scale. With it, large enterprises or individuals can smoothly advance from a prototype of a connected product to its commercial launch and further development. Blynk became one of the first software platforms with a no-code approach to IoT app building, allowing businesses of all sizes to use it. The solution supports 400+ hardware models: microcontrollers, development boards, and platforms, including Arduino, Particle, ESP32, Nordic nRF51/nRF52, TI CC3220, and more. Due to this, users can connect any IoT device and use the platform’s broad set of software products to run projects of any complexity.
Blynk covers vital IoT software needs, including device integration and activation, asset management, and remote monitoring via mobile apps. Its dashboard provides real-time data visualization using graphs and charts. Users can also add widgets such as buttons, sliders, LEDs, displays, and gauges. The platform supports notifications and alerts that can be triggered based on events or conditions in the IoT system. However, some users note intermittent connectivity issues and a confusing initial setup process. Moreover, the number of devices connected to a single Blynk account is limited.
ThingWorx is an industrial IoT platform that provides tools and services for creating, deploying, and managing IoT applications for the manufacturing environment. It enables businesses to connect and analyze data from various IoT devices and sensors, enhancing operational efficiency, predictive maintenance, and overall business processes. The platform delivers new experiences using technologies like augmented reality within a secure and scalable architecture.
ThingWorx supports edge computing, enabling data processing and analysis to occur closer to the data source, reducing latency. It also supports integration with other enterprise systems, databases, and software applications, facilitating data flow across the organization. The platform offers features for remotely managing and monitoring IoT devices, including configuration, firmware updates, and diagnostics. At the same time, some ThingWorx users commented that it is difficult to manage complicated systems, and the integration with other products could be smoother.
Particle is a comprehensive IoT Platform-as-a-Service that unites reliable, customizable software and hardware. It provides all the necessary tools for network connectivity, tracking systems, data pipelines and cloud data storage. This enables quick prototyping, testing, and managing IoT solutions. According to the vendor, the average time to market is only 6-12 months, even for users who aren’t IoT experts. The platform provides full visibility from a single central interface to remotely monitor connected devices. Users can track critical-asset data, including real-time and historical location, motion, temperature, and sound. Moreover, it is designed to scale, allowing users to manage many devices and applications without significant infrastructure concerns.
Particle provides security at every layer through end-to-end encryption, secure boot, device authentication, and other features. Also, the platform has an active community of developers, providing resources, tutorials, and forums to help to troubleshoot issues and learn from others. Unfortunately, the Particle’s pricing model can be expensive, as it depends on usage and the number of deployed devices. And it is not cost-effective for large-scale projects.
There is no doubt that the implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT) will bring strong benefits to your business, regardless of the industry you work in. However, it can also pose serious challenges, such as security concerns, data privacy, system complexity, lack of skilled staff and standards, cost, scalability, etc. To mitigate these risks and overcome challenges, organizations should consider them before IoT adoption.
Much also depends on the selected IoT software. And we hope our guide will help you to make a decision. Ultimately, the right choice will make your business more competitive, efficient, and adaptable in the evolving landscape of connected technologies.
