Internet of Things in 2021: Trends & Developments

The past year 2020 was dominated by an ongoing global pandemic that brought with it many adversities and restrictions in virtually all areas of life. In parallel, topics such as digital transformation, 5G, faster WLAN, improved artificial intelligence and machine learning dominated the discussion. This entire development turned out to be an accelerator of a wide variety of IoT applications. The possibilities of the Internet of Things moved even more strongly than already into the focus of many decision-makers who not only want to secure their global business in times of crisis, but also to expand it further. 

Smart Home, Digital Healthcare, Digital Factory, Predictive Maintenance, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and more: let's take a look together at the IoT trends that will continue to drive our digital world forward in 2021 and shape our everyday lives. Because in a world where contact between people is limited, at least for some time, contact between a wide variety of devices helps us stay connected.

Predictive Maintenance

The trend toward predictive maintenance will continue to grow in 2021. In 2020, after the first pandemic-related restrictions, it was clear that machines, networks and installations would have to be maintained remotely to keep them running. Many companies have recognized this and digitized their maintenance systems in such a way that technicians can analyze and evaluate all relevant data in their home offices. Here, the trend is toward even more efficient and effective digital solutions: It's all about process optimization, intelligent and optimal use of the acquired and existing data collected via networked sensor technology. Artificial intelligence and improved, self-learning algorithms discover repeating patterns and data trends even faster and use them to proactively prevent equipment failures, order spare parts, alert technicians at an early stage and also improve customer service. IoT-based predictive maintenance is becoming commonplace!

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence continues to be one of the most significant IoT trends: devices and machines learn through artificial intelligence. The opportunities to develop and improve algorithms that enable machine learning continue to improve. Companies can derive the greatest possible benefit from the ever-increasing amounts of data. The market research institute Gartner forecasts a business value of up to 2.9 trillion US dollars and 6.2 billion hours of labor productivity to be created by artificial intelligence in 2021. AI is thus increasingly developing into a basic technology that can be used to increase business value, for example in the digital factory.

Logistics

Increasingly digitalized supply chains are using efficient sensors to ensure that goods are delivered and forwarded smoothly around the world. This is not just about container tracking or the respective location of the goods. Smart logistics also records data on the condition of the vehicle or the engine, etc. RFID tags mean that goods can be quickly recorded and further processed upon delivery. This is a trend that pays off: companies can not only rely on the secure tracking of goods, but also realize inventories quickly and effectively and ensure a higher level of theft protection.

Smart Cities & Home Office

In the smart city concept, IoT technology is used to manage traffic on road networks, the use of public transport, pedestrian flows in pedestrian zones, and the use of municipal facilities such as recycling centers and waste collection, among other things. Smart meters record energy consumption in homes and businesses to achieve optimal supply. Many resources are going into building digital applications in municipalities and cities: The resulting digital city hall offers all services online. The entire smart city offers a big plus in convenience and safety: smart technologies can make cities not only more citizen-friendly, but also greener and safer.

IoT also makes home offices more productive: working from home will be the norm for many in 2020. AI-driven assistants can help manage the day better, with smarter automated scheduling and calendaring tools, interactive video conferencing, and additional virtual meeting technologies. 

Digital Healthcare

Digital trends in healthcare are becoming more and more prevalent, and investments in IoT applications in this area are steadily increasing. From telemedicine to automated home help for the elderly and disabled: Smart wearables, sensors and connected devices in particular will continue to change and improve the way we deliver healthcare as we know it. They can be used to minimize unnecessary contact in high-risk situations, such as nursing homes and infectious disease wards in hospitals. IoT solutions can also enable older people to live independently in their own homes for longer. This is ensured by tools that use artificial intelligence to detect falls, changes in daily routines or a deterioration in health and alert relatives or healthcare providers in case of emergency 

2021 will be an IoT year

Our prediction couldn't be clearer: 2021 will be an IoT year - for industry and everyday life. A year of innovative IoT solutions, a year of artificial intelligence, a year in which learning algorithms, sensor technology and remote monitoring will become even more important than ever before. IoT is already ready for use in almost all industries, and the amount of use cases and connected devices is steadily increasing. Smart devices can be found in more and more households with SmartHome applications or devices like Alexa. In 2021, around 35 billion smart devices will be online, and this number is expected to increase to 75 billion by 2025. This is an irreversible, positive trend towards an everyday life in which IoT applications are no longer exceptions, but part of our private and professional lives.