Sony is making a big IoT move into Europe (SNE)
Flickr/Augie Malson
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Like an expert player in a game of Risk, Sony is expanding into Europe.
The electronics and media company announced Tuesday that it plans to build its second Internet of Things (IoT) team of approximately 20 to 30 people in Europe, according to CNBC. Sony formed a team of about the same size in Japan in July.
This European team would focus mostly on conducting IoT technology trials. To date, Sony's IoT business has teamed up with a startup called ZMP to manufacture drones fitted with Sony cameras, sensors, and telecommunications tech.
Sony is a significant provider of cameras and sensors for smartphones, so it's a logical step for the company to offer those components for IoT devices such as drones and self-driving cars, notes Jonathan Camhi, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service.
And the company has already gotten some of its IoT plans in motion. Earlier this year, Sony purchased Altair Semiconductor, which makes chips that wirelessly connect devices to the Internet.
On top of that, Sony has produced a line of fitness trackers called SmartBand, though these products have struggled to compete in this space with powerhouses such as Fitbit.
Finally, Sony has shown off a prototype of the Experia Agent, a smart home hub that is the company's answer to the Amazon Echo.
Sony's expansion of its IoT initiatives into Europe proves that the IoT Revolution is picking up speed. And when it finally arrives in full force, it will completely change how we live, work, travel, entertain, and more.
From connected homes and connected cars to smart buildings and transportation, every aspect of our lives will be affected by the increasing ability of consumers, businesses, and governments to connect to and control everything around them.
Imagine “smart mirrors” that allow you to digitally try on clothes. Assembly line sensors that can detect even the smallest decrease in efficiency and determine when crucial equipment needs to be repaired or replaced. GPS-guided agricultural equipment that can plant, fertilize, and harvest crops. Fitness trackers that allow users to transmit data to their doctors.
It’s not science fiction. This “next Industrial Revolution” is happening as we speak. It’s so big that it could mean new revenue streams for your company and new opportunities for you. The only question is: Are you fully up to speed on the IoT?
After months of researching and reporting this exploding trend, John Greenough and Jonathan Camhi of Business Insider Intelligence have put together an essential report on the IoT that explains the exciting present and the fascinating future of the Internet of Things. It covers how the IoT is being implemented today, where the new sources of opportunity will be tomorrow and how 16 separate sectors of the economy will be transformed over the next 20 years.
The report gives a thorough outlook on the future of the Internet of Things, including the following big picture insights:
- IoT devices connected to the Internet will more than triple by 2020, from 10 billion to 34 billion. IoT devices will account for 24 billion, while traditional computing devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, etc.) will comprise 10 billion.
- Nearly $6 trillion will be spent on IoT solutions over the next five years.
- Businesses will be the top adopter of IoT solutions because they will use IoT to 1) lower operating costs; 2) increase productivity; and 3) expand to new markets or develop new product offerings.
- Governments will be the second-largest adopters, while consumers will be the group least transformed by the IoT.
And when you dig deep into the report, you’ll get the whole story in a clear, no-nonsense presentation:
- The complex infrastructure of the Internet of Things distilled into a single ecosystem
- The most comprehensive breakdown of the benefits and drawbacks of mesh (e.g. ZigBee, Z-Wave, etc.), cellular (e.g. 3G/4G, Sigfox, etc.), and internet (e.g. Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.) networks
- The important role analytics systems, including edge analytics, cloud analytics, will play in making the most of IoT investments
- The sizable security challenges presented by the IoT and how they can be overcome
- The four powerful forces driving IoT innovation, plus the four difficult market barriers to IoT adoption
- Complete analysis of the likely future investment in the critical IoT infrastructure: connectivity, security, data storage, system integration, device hardware, and application development
- In-depth analysis of how the IoT ecosystem will change and disrupt 16 different industries
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