10 IoT Companies To Watch In 2017
Top 2017 IoT Companies
The tech industry is bullish on connected devices. Researcher IDC predicts that the IoT market will reach $7 billion in 2020 and vendors are continuing to invest in various segments of the internet of things (IoT).
IoT systems and solutions encompass a broad range of vertical markets and vendors like GE, IFTTT, and Amazon Web Services will continue to work to place a stake in some of the most opportune areas.
Following are the top 10 IoT companies we're keeping an eye on in 2017.
For more on IoT, at look at CRN's 10 Cool IoT Products Worth Checking Out Right Now.
Intel
The Santa Clara, Calif. company has been moving away from its roots in PC semiconductors to prioritize end-to-end connected offerings such as intelligent gateways and embedded chips. In August, Intel also took the wraps off Joule, a module built for IoT applications by putting a high-performance system-on-module into a low-power package. Intel will continue to restructure its business in 2017 and delve deeper into IoT industrial and vertical market applications.
GE
GE's industrial IoT platform, Predix Cloud, is designed specifically for data and analytics as a Platform-as-a-Service. It enables companies to use machine data faster and more efficiently.
Over the past year, GE has invested heavily in building out its IoT business, acquiring field service management company ServiceMax and even making an appearance at Intel's Developer Forum. Expect GE to make a name for itself as a leader in the industrial IoT market this year.
IFTTT
San Francisco's IFTTT ("If This, Then That") helps consumers bring their favorite services together from various connected devices by using simple, conditional commands. This year, as home assistants and smart home devices proliferate, IFTTT's "recipes" will critical in helping more consumers program their devices to fit their homes and lifestyles.
Samsung
In 2016, Samsung said that it would dish out $1.2 billion over the next four years for IoT-related research and startups. The tightened focus comes a year after Samsung launched its Artik chip platform, which includes IoT building blocks such as built-in connectivity and an open software environment for wearables and other connected devices. This year, expect more Samsung announcements around research and investments in IoT, particularly around IoT applications with social benefits, such as digital health, smart machines and autonomous vehicles.
Amazon Web Services
Seattle-based Amazon Web Services (AWS) has doubled down on IoT through its flagship managed cloud platform. AWS said its platform makes it easy for customers to use the company's existing services – including AWS Lambda, Amazon Ki­nesis, Amazon S3 and Amazon Machine Learning – to build IoT applications that gather, process, analyze and act on data generated by connected devices without having to manage any infrastructure. In 2017, AWS will continue to push its IoT services to developers and channel partners.
In December, Google revamped and rebranded its Brillo software as a new IoT operating system called Android Things. Android Things, now as a developer preview, mixes together Brillo with Android developer tools, Google cloud computing services, and support for Google's IoT communication platform, Weave. In 2017, it will be interesting to see how Android Things is adopted by consumer smart home users, and what this will mean for Google's Nest, Google Home and other connected-home products.
Cisco
Cisco made waves in the industry when it announced a restructuring effort in 2016 that aims to pivot the company toward IoT. Its recent investments in IoT have included its acquisition of IoT ser­vice platform provider Jasper Technologies for $1.4 billion and a partnership with IBM to combine its edge analytics capabilities with Watson to better understand data at the network edge. In 2017, expect Cisco to continue its restructuring efforts to focus on IoT, particularly in the industrial segment.
Davra Networks
Dublin, Ireland-based Davra Networks has tightened its focus on the IoT through its flagship cloud-based platform, RuBAN.
RuBAN, which takes the data generated from IoT objects and presents it in a way that is easy for customers to consume and visualize, makes it easy for solution providers to deploy IoT applications using a single platform. Keep an eye out for this startup as it continues to delve deeper in IoT applications including connected fleets, smart surveillance, mass transit and mining.
IBM
Since rolling out its IoT unit in 2015, IBM has promised to spend $3 billion over four years to develop a portfolio of cloud services and software aimed at delivering weather-related IoT services to the enterprise.
Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM's Watson platform enables an array of capabilities for end users, including building secure scalable IoT apps and services, monitoring assets and managing facilities. More recently, IBM linked with AT&T to help partners create full IoT solutions by pairing IBM's developer tools, cloud and analytics services with AT&T's IoT platforms and global networks.
In 2017, expect IBM to continue its push to use cognitive computing as a differentiator in powering its developer resources and data analytics.
Microsoft
Microsoft, which has touted its Azure Suite as its IoT flagship product, enables custom­ers to monitor and analyze IoT data remotely. With Azure, cus­tomers can generate, integrate and orchestrate data, and then manage and analyze that data through Azure Stream. Azure is customizable to fit various vertical offerings, and provides finished applications to speed deployment for IoT applications.