Introduction
One thing the world expected in 2020 was for it to end. Indeed, everyone was waiting for 2021 to come and save the world from the ominous 2020, which couldn’t have seemed to be worse. While we’re still early into 2021, it seems like it gradually starts meeting the expectations. Of course, COVID-19 is here to stay but, businesses started to rejuvenate from the abyss of unforeseen future.
Some industries have even sparked brighter than they used to as smart solutions have penetrated every single scope of human activities. Businesses turn to the companies that know how to implement IoT projects because IoT itself is a trend for 2021 that is going to become ubiquitous. IoT sensors will be saving people’s lives, changing the way we work, and altering our urban spaces. Hence, let’s talk a bit more about why 2021 is the best time to invest in the Internet of Things (IoT).
1. Easy to Plan
First things first: every single project is nothing else but a merger of an idea and budget. If you have an idea and a budget to implement it, you will probably find the team to work on it. Yet, it is quite often that IoT projects get stuck at the very beginning because people don’t know how to calculate the budget correctly. As a result, they end up at the bottom of the ladder with no goals attained. There might be many factors affecting the project, such as the wrongly chosen billing model, software vendor’s lack of expertise, scarce client’s experience in running IoT projects, etc.
Nonetheless, there are IoT companies that have taken care even of their prospective customers by letting them calculate the value of their IoT project in advance. Indeema Software, Inc., a Ukrainian IoT powerhouse has come up with a neoteric free-of-charge IoT calculator. Basically, this calculator puts you just five minutes away from a meaningful estimate of your IoT idea. It takes like up to 15 mouse clicks to get your project’s financial reckonings ready. Just select your product’s category out of 10 offered, choose the components you want your device to feature, specify any additional features you need and off you go – your project’s estimate is ready. Hence, with platforms like Indeema Software’s IoT calculator, it can be easily claimed that IoT projects are the easiest to plan.
2. More Healthcare When It Matters
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us all a huge lesson: we need to pay more attention to our health. It turns out that we cannot fight efficiently against every disease. Hence, preventive medicine is the answer we’ve been looking for. Yet, the question is: how would it be possible for the whole planet or even a small group of people to ensure the utmost level of preventive medicine? Shall we all stay in hospitals 24/7, do nothing and undergo medical tests? No, it all boils down to preventive telemedicine with the help of IoT sensors. Connected devices manufacturers will profit largely from this novice trend in healthcare, as the global IoT healthcare market is expected to reach a 12.59% CAGR growth by 2025, as the demand is exponentially outdistancing the supply.
The scope of applying the Internet of Things benefits in healthcare is mammoth. The IoT solutions, and IoT sensors, in particular, are already used for crafting up wearables that can track patients’ vitals and even help medical institutions manage their personnel more efficiently. The IoT connectivity adds to the healthcare institutions’ ability to track their patients remotely, thus providing timely reaction to emergencies and, what is more, preventing them.
3. Increased “From Home” Productivity
Working from home was a need back in 2020 and it has become a new trend in 2021. It seems like businesses have learned a lot from the 2020 limitations, having turned some of them into growth opportunities. Copious companies have come to a conclusion that the concept of an office is a rather rudimentary one, and that folks can work productively from their homes. Nonetheless, there are some IoT solutions that might be needed for your employees to stay proactive and productive. For example, the AI-powered solutions, like personal assistants, e.g. Siri, Alexa, etc. can simplify the working process a lot.
The automation of daily affairs has a great impact on the folks’ from-home productivity, as it helps people focus on their jobs, instead of running around the house with a mop. Ordering lunch is now a matter of seconds, as the aforementioned personal assistants can do it for you; just tell them what your gastronomic preferences for today are. Cleaning the house is not an issue as well, as the automated cleaning appliances, like vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, etc. connected to the smart home systems will take care of everything. Those investing in smart solutions will find themselves on the receiving end in any case, as you’ll either earn money selling them or you’ll maximize your profit by boosting your employees’ productivity.
4. Versatile and Omnipresent Coverage
Another reason why IoT development is even more than a promising domain to invest in is because it is going to be ubiquitous real soon. Michele Pelino, senior analyst at Forrester, claimed that IoT is going to break from the 5G shackles, as the connectivity options will be aplenty. It turns out that medicine, agriculture, security, fintech, and number of other industries won’t be able to function properly without IoT solutions in 2021. Thus, given the absence of the 5G coverage in a variety of locations worldwide, those developing IoT projects will have an array of connectivity options to choose from.
Companies and organizations will have to ponder over the directions they want their projects follow and it will lead them to choosing the best connectivity option possible, as sometimes it might be Wi-Fi, BLE, etc. Also, there is a need to remember that the low-power networking technologies are going to be on the rise in 2021, according to Forrester. This factor once again denies the 5G’s exclusiveness. For example, the development of wearables is better off with BLE rather than 5G or even Wi-Fi. Hence, the predicted connectivity turmoil and chaos is being postponed, as the IoT engineers will face no barriers on their way toward delivering smart solutions to the end-users.
Conclusion
It seems like 2021 is going to be the year when companies worldwide will get back on track of predictable and lucrative business. Still, there is a lot of work to do in terms of gauging your business’s needs to today's world reality. The COVID-19 pandemic is going to leave a trace on the commercial patterns, and investing in technology that fosters remote healthcare and sustainable development would be the wisest decision for an entrepreneur to make in 2021. The IoT solutions are here to stay, as they’ve proven themselves instrumental in changing the people’s lives for the better and helping other businesses survive. We are experiencing a shift to the world of smart solutions, and those denying their value will end up beyond the margin of success.
