With technology attaining milestones frequently, seamless integration of physical things and digital data is not in the realm of impossibility. To understand the concept, let’s take a look at some examples. For instance, can you control your thermostats with your phone? Does the heart monitoring device send data assigned to a particular IP address?
The integration of the digital system between a network of connected physical objects is a phenomenon widely known as IoT or the Internet of Things. In this post, we will learn more about IoT apps, their benefits, tech specifications, and more.
What is IoT?
The IoT, or the internet of things, is a network of computing, digital, mechanical devices, people, or objects that are interrelated. The network is integrated with UIDs or unique identifiers and has the ability to transfer data without human-to-computer or human-to-human interaction. In essence, IoT is any object or item that has embedded software that connects it to the internet to exchange data with different systems and devices over that same network.
The IoT technology industry is encountering a massive spike at the moment. Amidst the deadly pandemic, the industry has registered a dramatic 22% growth. In fact, the market is predicted to cross $566.4 billion within 2027. Considering the growth statistics now is the perfect time to invest in an IoT app.
What is an IoT app?
An IoT app is an app that allows gadgets to communicate or send/receive data without any human interaction. The complex culmination of sensors, networking, connected devices, and analytics can result in the development of new-age applications. IoT apps use machine learning and AI to add real-time intelligence to different devices. Moreover, these are created for specific industries such as healthcare, wearables, automotive, etc. To make the best use of this technology, you may need to hire expert developers.
Top benefits of IoT app development
There is a wide range of advantages one can gain from IoT app development. Take a look at some of them listed below –
- Insights on user behavior
It is possible to use IoT to gain knowledge about user behaviour via data collection. For example, IoT tools can be used to analyse customer behaviours on different platforms such as social media, websites, etc. With information on hand, business organisations can take active steps.
- More productivity
The integration of IoT tech increases work productivity. It aids in the automation of various processes, ensuring a seamless workflow. IoT solutions offer assistance in managing various processes, giving alerts about different problems, and so on.
- Reduces manpower
Automation of different processes due to the IoT tech leads to a dramatic decrease in manpower. There is no need to invest effort, which can be utilised in other aspects. It is easy to monitor the process from an app.
- Enhanced data security
The core features of any IoT app are authorisation and authentication. Due to the availability of real-time information in the cloud, security needs to be considered very seriously. That is why the architecture of the system is designed in a robust way, making the solution secure from online threats and malicious cyber-attacks.
- Improved flexibility
IoT applications fulfill the need to connect to any desired device from anywhere. The scope of flexibility makes the app even more appealing. It is possible to control various actions or items with one device.
Challenges to overcome in IoT app development
Despite the extensive list of benefits that come with IoT app development, there are some shortcomings too. It is vital to address them in order to find out potential solutions. Check out the challenges –
- Privacy
The absence of user privacy is indeed a topic of debate in IoT technology. Consumers are right to worry about data privacy when it comes to using IoT applications. In order to offer protection, a top-grade encryption level is needed. That way, the data is not left vulnerable to malicious online attacks.
- Security
One of the most challenging aspects of IoT app development is data security. The presence of multiple interconnected devices leads to the creation of more than one entry point. These points become the source of data leaks for hackers. They can use these points to attain access to the information present in the system. Securing every node becomes extremely difficult. That is why it is vital to connect fewer devices in order to limit vulnerabilities and financial losses.
- Cross-platform compatibility
Maintaining the balance between software and hardware while developing the IoT app is a real challenge. That is why developers need to focus on creating an application that delivers optimum performance without compromising device updates and error-fixing features. Moreover, it must be compatible enough to run on both mobile devices and the web. Also, ensuring that the app follows the pre-set standards of the industry is a must.
Different components of the IoT system
There are primarily four distinct components that make up the IoT system. These are –
- Devices
In the first step, devices or sensors work towards the collection of data from the environment. The data collected can be simple or complex. Moreover, more than one sensor can be put together within a device to collect data.
- Cloud connectivity
After the data is collected, a wide range of methods is used to send it to the cloud. The different methods that one can use include satellite, cellular, LPWAN, Wi-Fi, etc. However, it is crucial to select the right connectivity option. It mostly depends on the type of IoT app you are developing.
- Processing data
Now that cloud has the data, it is time to process it. Data processing of the information the cloud receives can be simple or extremely complex. Whatever the outcome is, it helps the users immensely.
- End user
The data is processed so that it can help the end-user somehow. The results can be sent via different methods such as emails, notifications, etc. Apart from this, the user might be able to conduct an action that affects the IoT system. That mostly depends on the app and its functionalities.
Are IoT apps different from conventional mobile apps?
IoT apps are significantly different from traditional applications. For instance, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are used to integrate intelligence into the app. The combination of these technologies will aid in customising the user insights based on the industry. Another difference is that IoT mobile apps have an in-built feature that allows the user to update the hardware with easy clicks. Even the process of app development is different than the conventional one.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, the Internet of Things or IoT is the technology of the future. The uprise in the growth of the IoT tech market is an indication that the tech is going to revolutionise different industries in the upcoming years. Now is the best time to enter the market with an attractive yet functional IoT app.
Harikrishna Kundariya, a marketer, developer, IoT, ChatBot &
Blockchain savvy, designer, co-founder, Director of eSparkBiz
Technologies @Software Development Company. His 10+
experience enables him to provide digital solutions to new start-
ups based on IoT and ChatBot.