Leading consumer electronics companies in the IoT space

The future of the consumer electronics industry will be characterized by a number of disruptive themes, with the Internet of Things (IoT) being one of the themes that will have a major impact on the growth of the industry.

IoT describes the use of networked sensors and actuators to control and monitor the environment, the things that move in it and the people who act in it. In other words, IoT improves the connection of computing devices embedded in everyday objects over the Internet, allowing them to send and receive data. In the consumer electronics industry, IoT use cases include the automated home, connected car, wearable technology, automated home, and smart cities. GlobalData predicts that the global IoT market will reach $1.1 trillion by 2024.

For IoT technology to become truly ubiquitous, two things need to happen: latency needs to decrease to enable real-time decisions, and IoT deployments need to be more autonomous. Advances in data center technology are already bringing more intelligence to the edge of data networks and reducing latency, while Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) technology is gradually reducing the role of human decision-making in many IoT ecosystems.

However, not all companies are equal when it comes to their skills and investments in the key issues that matter most to their industry. Understanding how companies are positioned and ranked across the top themes can be a key leading indicator of their future earnings potential and relative competitive position.

According to GlobalData’s thematic research report, Internet of Things, leading adopters of the IoT include: Alphabet, Apple, Amazon, Sony, Samsung Electronics and Honeywell.

Insights from top companies

Apple

Apple is a leading end-to-end player in the IoT topic. Its flagship product, the iPhone, which accounts for around half of total sales, makes Apple the undisputed leader in connected devices within the IoT value chain. It processes the data collected from its smartphones on iCloud, its in-house cloud platform. It owns iOS, the software platform that powers the iPhone and the App Store that hosts many apps that control IoT systems. The HomeKit automated home platform allows users to configure devices for their automated home using their iPhone or iPad. It is also the world leader in smartwatches by revenue. Additionally, Apple is working on augmented reality devices, sometimes referred to as Apple Glass AR headsets. It’s also rumored to be working on an electric car project, although it’s usually been secret on the matter.

Amazon

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s leading provider of Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Many companies use AWS cloud platforms to process the data that powers their IoT ecosystems. It also has a range of connected devices, from the family of Echo smart speakers to Ring, its camera-controlled doorbell. Many of these Amazon devices are powered by Alexa, Amazon’s conversational platform. With the acquisition of Zoox in 2020, Amazon became a serious contender in the fledgling autonomous vehicle market. Also, Amazon Go stores are game-changing technologies for smart, connected retail stores. Taken together, these attributes give Amazon one of the strongest IoT ecosystems in the world.

alphabet

Alphabet is a leading end-to-end player in the IoT topic. Its Android operating system powers most of the world’s smartphones, and Google Play, its app store, hosts many of the apps that track and control IoT devices. With Nest, it has developed an advanced smart hub to control connected devices in the automated home. His driverless car operation Waymo is already a world leader. Additionally, the 2021 acquisition of Fitbit made the company a strong contender in the wearable tech space.

To better understand the top issues and technologies disrupting the tech industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on the Internet of Things.