What App Developers Need To Know About The Internet of Things

Internet of Things is a term that already gains a lot of popularity not only among technical experts because everybody seems to use it. But what exactly means Internet of Things and why should we care about this domain here in our area surrounded by mobile marketing strategies? Those are very good questions and we will find some great answers for them by the end of this article.

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What Is Internet of Things

First of all, Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of internet – connected devices which can send and receive data with the help of sensors. And we are talking here about other gadgets than phones or computers which by nature can be connected to the Internet. If you think about the term you can imagine a network of different things which use Internet for enhanced functionalities.

Internet of Things And Mobile Marketing

Now, that we clarified the meaning of this technology, let’s see what IoT and Mobile Marketing have in common? Is it possible to use Internet of Things for promoting different products on mobile devices?

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More Relevant Advertising

Internet of Things offers the right environment for marketers to provide more personal advertising content according to customers’ needs. It can be considered a powerful tool for reaching the mobile moment when users are connected with their devices. It isn’t about following customers everywhere; it is created for meeting them in the right context.

Predictive Analytics

Because of this revolutionary communication between gadgets it becomes easier to receive relevant information and to use it in the proper way. Future strategies won’t rely on guessing anymore, they will be based on real data coming from the objects used every day.

Seamless Engagement Experiences

All people are trying to improve the quality of their lives and the objects around them represent a big support for this process. For parents who struggle to convince their kid to brush his teeth if a smart toothbrush connected to a mobile app with a funny character does the job then it creates a strong bond between the brand and customers.

Image Source: https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Sonicare-Rechargeable-Toothbrush-HX6321/dp/B00YAR7ZL6

Should You Invest in Internet of Things?

This is a really hard question. The answer depends on your goals and the way you approach this system. But for helping you with this decision, we will share some hints about the pros and cons of investing in Internet of Things.

Difficulties

Every domain has different challenges and because of the fast evolution of Internet of Things these could scare you before considering all the factors involved. Let’s name a few.

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Security And Privacy

With connectivity comes the permanent fear that other eyes are watching you. Using smart appliances puts customers in a vulnerable place of insecurity. This is the reason why the most part of investments in this field should be made with the purpose of providing the highest level of privacy.

High Entry Cost

In this case it is not only about evaluating your own resources, you need to think about all the elements that contribute to the whole process of building IoT solutions. A Proof of Concept will help you validate your idea before spending a huge amount of money on something that will fail. The hardware prices are still high so it won’t be so affordable to adopt this technique if you don’t have a serious budget. Because it needs to achieve the highest standards of quality it requires huge investments no matter if the project is small or big.

Implementation Problems

Some devices weren’t created to communicate with others and for this reason you should think about the entire infrastructure. From sensors to cloud – based platforms, everything needs elaborated procedures which can cause a lot of issues if they aren’t implemented in the right way.

Image Source: https://iotbusinessnews.com/2015/10/08/95131-mydevices-introduces-first-customizable-end-to-end-iot-platform/

Opportunities

Because we scared you enough (just joking!) we want to say that despite all those disadvantages this industry continues to grow and to conquer all the industries around us providing huge opportunities for mobile ecosystem. But what determines this evolution?

Increased Internet Connectivity

Humanity reached an era where every object you can imagine can be connected via Internet for providing extraordinary experiences. From watches and glasses to cars and entire houses, all devices communicate with their owner for completing their tasks in an interesting way. If you forgot to do your laundry before going to work, there is no need to panic. You can start your washing machine from your office with a simple mobile app. You don’t know how to drive? Don’t worry, your car will know in the near future.

High Mobile Adoption

You know the statistics gathered by SmartInsights about mobile marketing, don’t you? If you study them carefully you will realize that mobile is the future in every domain all over the world. As long as this phenomenon continues to rise, there is no wonder that Internet of Things moves so fast on this growing path.

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Large Internet of Things Investments

Statistics don’t lie. Statista reveals some impressive numbers related to the evolution of Internet of Things for all domains worldwide. Therefore if you don’t want to be left behind in this fierce battle of technologies then you have to be prepared to embrace the new trend.

3 Successful IoT Marketing Projects

Now, that we showed you the dark side and the bright side of IoT, we will prove you how efficient this environment can be for the growth of your business.

Image Source: http://www.smartinsights.com/managing-digital-marketing/marketing-innovation/7-examples-applications-internet-things-now/

Fitbit

Fitbit uses its sensors for customers’ health. It keeps track of your food, your workout routine and it encourages you to maintain this beneficial lifestyle. Take a look at Fitbit Aria, and compare your old scale with this new smart gadget that will help you reach your goal to lose weight.

Image Source: https://www.slideshare.net/gdolin/connected-personalobjects-planningness2012

Spotify And Uber Partnership

What makes a cab ride more pleasant? In case you listen to your favorite music, you won’t care about anything else, is that right? This is the reason why Spotify and Uber combined their powers for offering their users a great experience overall.

Image Source: https://www.veinteractive.com/blog/internet-things-12-life-changing-tech-gadgets/

Diageo

Did you ever imagine that a common object like a bottle can become a gadget connected to an app? Diageo made that possible with Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottle using thin sensors for sending useful data about it. If the bottle is still in the store then the information displayed has promotional purposes, but if it is already opened then some cocktail recipes would be more interesting.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

Internet of Things is a fast growing domain and if you don’t make some efforts to prepare your business for this huge wave, you are going to miss great opportunities. It is relatively hard to adapt your strategy for this new technology but for those who already made their moves in this area the success is sure.