Internet of things gains traction via smartphone

The Internet of Things (IoT), which allows a set of connected devices running on software and sensors to exchange data, is pushing convergence on mobile phones.

The smartphone was increasingly becoming the device by which Indian consumers preferred to control all their electronic goods and appliances, analysts said.

According to US-based Strategy Analytics, the 110-120-million smartphone market in India is expected to touch 174 million by 2017. The country will surpass the US as the second largest smartphone market in the process.

"The level of smart home maturity in India is still nascent. It will pick up in the coming years as IoT is devised keeping in mind the Indian context," said Neha Dharia, senior analyst, consumer services, Ovum.

A survey by the California-headquartered Peel Technologies, which deals in smart home control solutions, said 85 per cent of Indian consumers preferred a universal remote control feature in their smartphones, in line with consumer preference in China and South Korea, considered mature smartphone markets.

Realising this will be the way forward, mobile phone and chipset makers are beginning to make investments in IoT.

LG has washing machines, television sets, refrigerators and music systems that can communicate with smartphones and company executives said more devices would be added to the list of connected devices.

"IoT is one of the most talked-about technology trends today. LG has adopted new technologies to make its products efficient and interconnected," an LG India spokesperson said.

Dipesh Amritlal Shah, vice-president, mobile communication team, Samsung, said the company had introduced its proprietary Tizen operating system for smartphones keeping in mind IoT. "We already have our latest smart television sets and cameras on Tizen and we will build other appliances on the platform so that they communicate with each other," he added.

Globally, 7.8 billion devices operate on the IoT model. Qualcomm and IBM estimate this market will touch 25 billion devices by 2020.

"We have come up with chipsets for IoT devices and are looking at collaborations with start-ups to promote the concept," said Sandeep Sibal, country manager and vice-president, business development, Qualcomm India. Qualcomm and a few start-ups are working on joint IoT solutions at its research centre in Bengaluru. 

Shah said Samsung, too, was looking at joint research to promote IoT.