Internet-of-Things Solution Deployment Gains Momentum Among Firms Globally

Connected world solutions, often referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), leverage machine-to-machine (M2M) technologies (e.g., sensors, GPS technology, and RFID tags) to link physical assets to analytics and control systems through the Internet.

In October 2014, Zebra Technologies commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct an online study of IT and business decision-makers in 593 global firms representing the retail, manufacturing, consumer products, transportation, healthcare, government, oil/gas, and hospitality industries.

Certain key themes were explored in this study and in a similar study conducted in 2012.

They focused on identifying organizations’ interest in IoT solutions; the timeline for deploying IoT applications; and technical elements of IoT solutions for which firms seek third-party assistance.

All survey respondents for these studies were responsible for making or influencing decisions related to their firm’s IoT solutions.

In addition, the definition of Internet of Things used for both studies is:

Smart interconnected devices that businesses use to get more visibility into the identification, location, and condition of products, assets, transactions, or people to drive more effective and timely business decisions or to improve customer interactions.

Study results show IoT solution deployment is occurring among firms in various geographic regions and vertical markets. IoT solution deployment timelines and initiatives vary by industry sector and geographic region. In addition, many firms seek assistance from third-party vendors to implement various technical elements of these IoT solutions and applications.

Related: How the Internet of Things Is Improving Transportation and Logistics