Internet of Things was once considered a preserve niche for technology startups, but that has since changed and is now a vibrant multi-billion-dollar Industry promising to shape the future of the entire planet.

If you have been following the happenings in the industry over the past few years, then you have probably noticed a huge shift in the headlines. As we move into the New Year, the industry is full of expectations that certain emerging trends are set to dictate the trajectory upon which IoT is likely to follow for decades to come.

Here is a brief look at some of the hot IoT technologies the world is keen to watch in 2019.

IoT Regulations

It is normally common for the populace to be caught up in excitement every time there is a new piece of technology. For such technologies, the main focus is always on the innovation and how to make them give the very best results and improve lives.

Things like regulations are always at the back of people’s minds, and until something significant happens and stresses the need for the tech to be regulated, no one will be talking about regulations. However, IoT, have in the past paused several concerns which can only be addressed through proper regulations as city developers look at ways to integrate IoT sensors into conventional equipment like road barriers and other infrastructure to help networks communicate with each other.

In 2019, it is expected that various legislatures and regulatory bodies will start proposing, formulating and imposing new laws to guide the IoT sphere.

To be specific, it is a year when both users and vendors will be conscious about the regulations, and they will be very mindful of how they collect and retain data, and also about their security while using the IoT technologies.

At the moment, most of the IoT users are fond of collecting as much data as they possibly can, and sometimes it is a challenge to tell what kinds of data will be useful and which ones will be of no good value.

With the perceived perception of the poor state of security, there is a need for stored sensitive data to be regulated and this is likely to feature in one form or another as a regulation.

The growth of smart consumer devices

2018 and the previous year’s saw a staggering growth of various types of digital assistants, and the momentum is not about to slow down in 2019 and the coming years.

Gadgets such as Google Home and Alexa are just a few of the subtle indications that smart devices are here to stay. Though the idea of a smart toaster is still being dismissed as a long-running joke, experts agree that there is a wanton increase in the number of consumer IoT devices coming in all shapes and sizes.

Smart technology has proven to have the ability to simplify life and make it more convenient.
Things like automated vacuum cleaners have been around for a while now, and the automation of home security, as well as the introduction of automated smart technology in the kitchen, are strong indicators that we can continue expecting more of such as we move into 2019.

There will be a shift in the automotive business models

The adoption of IoT technologies in the automotive industry is also expected to take on a new shift from 2019. The use of data is fast becoming the lifeblood of the industry and together with IoT technologies, the industry now has a way to gather, monitor, and communicate with various smart city services.

Due to this, the automotive industry is expected to shift their focus toward data-driven business models which will guarantee them efficiency that will, later on, turn into profits.

A clear indication of this shift is the heightened activities by original equipment manufacturers in spending huge amounts of money and startups for analyzing and processing data.

Edge computing

It is expected that devices will become more powerful such that they will be able to carry out AI tasks and also to have very good local data processing capabilities.

With such powerful capabilities, dependency on the cloud will be reduced, and so is the data transfer volumes. Edge computing is also expected to have a significant impact in sectors where immediate action is dependent upon complex real-time data processing and analysis and also in industries where cloud connectivity may be restricted, like the case of logistics and shipping industries.

Better expertise

Currently, there are a number of educational institutions that are offering degree programs geared towards IoT technology, and there is also a good number of people who are working in the tech industry that have been horning their IT skills to become more relevant in the IoT field.

This gives hope that 2019 and the coming years will see an increase in the number of qualified experts and hence, better expertise in the field.

Again, since the demand for IoT skills will outmatch the available talent, the companies with the ability to offer higher salaries will be guaranteed to hire the most skilled experts in the field.

It is also important to point out that as the process of data analysis becomes more powerful and more complex, most companies are now willing to have their data analysis and management issues discussed at the very top of the business. In 2019, therefore, a rapid growth of Chief Data Officers is likely to be witnessed.

Mobile Access

The growth of smartphones was crucial to the IoT. Reduced costs for mobile connectivity, navigation chips, camera sensors, in addition to the rapid shift towards shrinking components have ensured that Internet of Things devices are more affordable today.

But IoT connection to users have always been through desktop applications, and this implies that mobile users have been sadly left behind.

In 2018, there was a sharp increase in access to IoT networks with mobile devices, and it can only be expected that the trend will gather more steam in 2019. This trend will see a lot of IoT data land in the hands of employees and this will without a doubt expand roles due to the easy access of the data.