(IBM Chairwoman, President and CEO Virginia "Ginni" Rometty.Brendan McDermid/Reuters)
The Internet of Things (IoT) is set to fundamentally transform how we live our lives, from work and entertainment to transportation and residences.
But such a widespread and sweeping change requires loads of power, and several companies have stepped up to become the pillars that support the IoT as it approaches mass adoption. And of those companies, a few have become the most powerful of the bunch.
Network World has compiled a list of the 19 most powerful IoT companies, and some
Amazon Web Services makes the list because many expect the cloud to have a pivotal role in the IoT, as it is the best way to store tons upon tons of data, and the biggest cloud provider out there is AWS.
AT&T appears on the list because it is betting on its broadband network to be a major facilitator of the IoT, and it hopes to have 10 million vehicles connected to said network by 2017.
Cisco has always been at the tech forefront, and the company is predicting that there could be 50 million devices connected to what it calls the Internet of Everything by 2020. Naturally, it wants most of those devices to use its networking equipment to communicate with one another.
To no one's surprise, Google is making itself a major player in the IoT on both the consumer and enterprise side.
IBM has been using its Watson smart products to push full steam ahead into the IoT.
And Intel wants to its processor chips to be the backbone of the IoT by supplying the power to run, well, everything.
The IoT Revolution is picking up speed and when it does, it will change how we live, work, travel, entertain, and more.
From connected homes and connected cars to smart buildings and transportation, every aspect of our lives will be affected by the increasing ability of consumers, businesses, and governments to connect to and control everything around them.
Imagine “smart mirrors” that allow you to digitally try on clothes. Assembly line sensors that can detect even the smallest decrease in efficiency and determine when crucial equipment needs to be repaired or replaced. GPS-guided agricultural equipment that can plant, fertilize, and harvest crops. Fitness trackers that allow users to transmit data to their doctors.
It’s not science fiction. This “next Industrial Revolution” is happening as we speak. It’s so big that it could mean new revenue streams for your company and new opportunities for you. The only question is: Are you fully up to speed on the IoT?
After months of researching and reporting this exploding trend, John Greenough and Jonathan Camhi of BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, have put together an essential report on the IoT that explains the exciting present and the fascinating future of the Internet of Things. It covers how the IoT is being implemented today, where the new sources of opportunity will be tomorrow and how 16 separate sectors of the economy will be transformed over the next 20 years.