Internet of Things will eventually become mainstream, according to survey

A survey by Gartner indicate that many organizations are keen to embrace Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, but there are many companies that aren't convinced of its value or potential.

By Barclay Ballard April 24, 2016

A survey by Gartner canvassed the opinions of 465 IT and business professionals spread across 18 business sectors indicate that many organizations are keen to embrace Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, but a sizable proportion haven’t been convinced of its value to their individual company.

According to the results, 29% of respondents are currently using the Internet of Things, but an additional 14% are planning to implement the technology in the next 12 months. A further 21% plan to employ IoT solutions after 2016, meaning that 64% ultimately intend to adopt the IoT. There was some discrepancy across business sectors, with "heavy" industries more likely to use the IoT than lighter, service-oriented businesses.

Overcoming IoT hurdles

Conversely, more than a third of businesses have no plans to implement these connected devices, including nine percent that fail to see the relevance of the technology.

Chet Geschickter, research director at Gartner, explained the reasons why many businesses are currently holding back when it comes to adoption.

"This is largely because of two reasons," he said. "The first set of hurdles are business-related. Many organizations have yet to establish a clear picture of what benefits the IoT can deliver, or have not yet invested the time to develop ideas for how to apply IoT to their business. The second set of hurdles are the organizations themselves. Many of the survey participants have insufficient expertise and staffing… and lack clear leadership." 

The survey also highlighted many of the oft-mentioned challenges to IoT adoption, including cyber security, integration and demonstrating a return on investment (ROI).

Nicole Tyquin, marketing communications manager at Swann, said that one the biggest barriers is finding practical implementations for these technologies. 

"There is a lot of intrigue in IoT at the moment from home and business communities, but the biggest barrier is making sense of it in the practical world," she said. "Many potential users won’t see ‘real life’ IoT scenarios in action such as the 30% in the Gartner survey who have no plans to implement. Manufacturers in this space should aim to provide and market solutions that really add value to organizations and make a practical difference to their lives."

Barclay Ballard is editor at Internet of Business, which is hosting the Internet of Manufacturing Conference November 1-2, 2016, in Chicago. This article originally appeared here. Internet of Business is a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

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