Needless to say, the
internet of things has become a ubiquitous phenomenon, with end users using IoT devices and the data they generate to achieve various objectives. More and more, physical security is also leveraging the powers of IoT to ensure the safety and security of users.
That was one of the main findings from a recent
research note by Gartner, which forecasts that the enterprise and automotive Internet of Things (IoT) market will grow to 5.8 billion endpoints in 2020, a 21 percent increase from 2019. Further, Gartner cites by the end of 2019 4.8 billion endpoints are expected to be in use, up 21.5 percent from 2018.
By sector, utilities will see the biggest deployment of IoT endpoints by 2020 with 1.37 billion units, growing from 1.17 billion from 2019, while physical security ranks second, expected to see 1.09 billion endpoints deployed in 2020, growing from 950 million in 2019, Gartner finds.
The finding comes as no surprise as more and more security equipment, including cameras, are moving towards the internet. A separate survey by IHS Markit points out that in 2018,
shipments of IP cameras accounted for 70 percent of total.
Meanwhile, other security devices, from access control readers to public address systems, are also moving towards internet, allowing for better integration with network cameras. Access control integrated with video surveillance, for example, allows the end user to see access events as well as associated video footage. Video integrated with IP public address, meanwhile, allows the latter to broadcast an alert once an intruder has been detected by the camera.
Further, Gartner finds government and manufacturing/natural resources rank No. 3 and 4 and are expected to see 700 million and 490 million endpoints deployed, respectively, by 2020. This is also in line with expectations as both rely on IoT to achieve security and further operational efficiency.
Take manufacturing, for example, the
industrial internet of things (IIoT), made up of sensors and the data they generate, can help with quality improvement and predictive maintenance. A machine that is about to fail, for example, can be detected by sensors attached to it. Operators can therefore act accordingly before the machine fails for real.
Among other findings by the research note, building automation, driven by connected lighting devices, will be the segment with the largest endpoints growth rate in 2020 (42 percent), followed by automotive and healthcare, forecast to grow 30 and 28 percent in 2020, respectively. In healthcare, users – doctors and patients alike – are relying on sensors to enable telemedicine and remote monitoring. Patients wearing sensors that measure heartbeat and blood pressure can be helped immediately once the numbers are found to be irregular, while sensors at homes or healthcare facilities can detect falls so rescue can be provided at once.
Also according to the figures, revenue from endpoint electronics will total US$389 billion globally in 2020 and will be concentrated over three regions: North America, Greater China and Western Europe. “These three regions will represent 75 percent of the overall endpoint electronics revenue. North America will record $120 billion, Great China will achieve $91 billion and Western Europe will come in third totaling $82 billion in 2020,” Gartner said.
It added in 2020, the two use cases that will produce the most endpoint electronics revenue will be consumer
connected cars and networkable printing and photocopying, totaling $72 billion and $38 billion, respectively.
The connected car, or internet of vehicles, concept has taken hold across the globe, as vehicles interact with other vehicles and the road infrastructure to optimize safety and efficiency for all road users.