Back in 2018, Morgan observed that most of the world was already connected. He explained, “95% of the world has basic 2G phone coverage, and while 29% of those in rural areas have 3G coverage, 89 percent who reside in urban areas are able to access 3G coverage with ease.” The standard today, for much of the world, is 4G technology; however, the future of IoT operations lies with 5G technology. Why? The answer to that question is speed. Fifth generation mobile networks are extremely high-speed which provides near-zero lag for real-time data processing. And telecommunications are already working on 6G. However, Earth-based systems aren’t the only systems at play. Tech writer Christopher Mims (@mims) reports, “More than a dozen startups are building their own globe-spanning networks of nanosatellites, enabling a new kind of everywhere, all-the-time connectivity for people, animals and assets on Earth.”[2] He describes how these satellite networks are already being used and their potential for the future:

“Scientists who track the health of Adélie penguins on the ice-covered wastes of Antarctica are managing their cameras from thousands of miles away — via tiny satellites orbiting above our heads. Energy companies are exploring using the same technology for monitoring hard-to-reach wind farms; logistics companies for tracking shipping containers; and agribusiness companies for minding cattle. It even helped National Geographic track a discarded plastic bottle from Bangladesh to the Indian Ocean. In the near future, it isn’t unreasonable to imagine this evolving satellite technology could put a distress beacon in every automobile, allow remote monitoring of wildlife in any environment on earth, and track your Amazon shipment — not just when it’s on a truck, but backward, all the way to the factory that produced it. And it could be done at a fraction of the cost of earlier satellite tracking systems.”

Morgan observed that IoT capabilities are already helping a number of industry verticals, including: healthcare; water systems; agriculture; and urban living. In the area of healthcare, he noted, “Tracking a group of people or a city as a whole can help with disease containment as well as migrant population tracking. Over time these sensors can help predict where an outbreak is going to spread, allowing enough aid workers to get to the infected area before it’s too late.” It turns out, the kind of contact tracing he described didn’t work very well during the pandemic because of privacy concerns. On the other hand, telemedicine proved quite valuable.

In the area of water delivery, he wrote, “IoT cannot just help in monitoring both water quality, and water delivery but also alert municipalities when a water pump breaks, allowing for a quicker replacement time to ensure that an area’s citizens are still getting enough, and quality water.” In the area of agriculture, he wrote, “With the help of [agriculture-related IoT] devices, farmers can easily place them in soil to track acidity levels, as well as temperature, and crop growth so they can create a successful harvest.” And, even though smart city projects have slowed in the developing world, he predicts, “IoT devices can help with the traffic flow, by regulating lights based on the number of vehicles on the road, sensors placed in homes can help warn residents of impending disasters like fast-moving fires, mudslides, or other disasters, helping to save lives, as well as personal property.”

To date, many of Morgan’s predictions remain aspirational; nevertheless, the future of the IoT remains bright. Tech writer Anupa (Iman) Ghosh believes three technologies support the IoT’s bright future.[3] They are:

1. Artificial Intelligence. “Programmable functions and systems that enable devices to learn, reason, and process information like humans.”
2. 5G Networks. “Fifth generation mobile networks with high-speed, near-zero lag for real time data processing.”
3. Big Data. “Enormous volumes of data processed from numerous internet-connected sources.”

She concludes, “Together, these interconnected devices are transforming the way we interact with our devices at home and at work, creating the AIoT (‘Artificial Intelligence of Things’) in the process.”