The Internet of Things (IoT) has been seamlessly incorporated into many facets of our contemporary economy and way of life, ranging from connected consumer goods like refrigerators, home security systems, and cars to large-scale industrial applications like those in the agriculture and energy sectors.
According to predictions, there will be 43 billion internet-connected devices by the end of the next year. Due to the increase in connected devices, businesses must consider the best ways to integrate IoT into the issues they are trying to address. But, more importantly, they must consider the best ways to ensure cybersecurity in the present and future of a digitally connected world.
Enterprise IoT will develop as 2023 approaches to meet the heightened needs of an increasingly connected world and the intelligent solutions that drive it. Here are the leading IoT developments that we predict to emerge in 2023.
- eSIM technology spreads
With the release of the iPhone 14 equipped with eSIMs, Apple brought mainstream consumer awareness to the technology. eSIMs are soldered into the device rather than being inserted in as physical SIM cards are, preventing them from being tampered with or removed to be used fraudulently. As a result, they play a crucial role in the safety of devices with internet access.
This is advantageous since it eliminates the need to install a real SIM tray at an additional expense and increases the difficulty of tampering with the device. In addition, new SIM-based solutions, like IoT Safe or more complex homegrown equivalents, are expanding the range of security measures accessible down to the SIM in addition to form factor concerns.
More businesses are likely to adopt this technology as a result of Apple’s example, not just because of the security advantages it offers but also because it reduces supply chain costs by eliminating the need to add a SIM tray to every device. Additionally, unlike physical SIMs, eSIMs enable OTA updates for new profiles, future-proofing each device’s connection and eliminating the need for a physical SIM change. Expect to see more businesses use eSIM in the next year as a consequence.
- Adoption of ENOs
In the past, businesses have powered their mobile networks using either MNOs or MVNOs. Given the constraints of fragmented networks with complicated roaming agreements — all of which lack centralised management and enhance IoT security concerns — none of these has been a perfect option to satisfy organisational demands properly. Enterprises are thus in more need than ever of customised network services, and the emergence of Enterprise Network Operators (ENOs) in 2023 will bring this to the fore even more.
To provide the organisation with ownership of the network and to offer entirely customised solutions, such as a more secure IoT connection, ENOs combine the finest aspects of both MNOs and MVNOs. More of this technology will be incorporated into organisations in the next year as companies want to retake control over their data security and strengthen their digital assets. In fact, 92% of businesses claim they’ll employ private networks by 2024; thus, 2023 will likely mark the beginning of that timeframe.
- Focus on sustainability
We can anticipate seeing sustainability take centre stage in the IoT area as well, with sustainability playing an increasingly significant role in both B2B and B2B environments.
Despite the fact that IoT hasn’t historically been the most environmentally friendly industry given the necessity for energy consumption, IoT technology may actually aid businesses in resource conservation via better, more effective usage, resulting in a net gain.
For instance, farmers may use IoT technology in sensors that monitor soil conditions and automate irrigation methods to provide more accurate irrigation and reduce wasteful water use. Such irrigation techniques provide excellent agricultural yields with less water consumption by properly allocating water resources as required for optimum crop development.
Closer to home, the installation of sensors across the water infrastructure may help control water consumption by spotting leaks in real-time or revealing important information about customer use habits that can be utilised to boost operational effectiveness.
- Security baked in
As we approach 2023, the IoT industry is prepared to adopt the idea of Security by Design, where linked products are created with security in mind from the start. IoT security is crucial for businesses wishing to integrate IoT solutions for their consumers effectively. As the number of connected devices grows, so does the potential for cyberattacks.
It’s crucial to layer security on both the network and device levels when there are a large number of endpoints. The network will be protected against attack, for instance, by software that can identify dangers on the network and enable devices to be quarantined if they are infected.
Confidence may be lost if secure IoT environments are not provided, which might have severe consequences for the provider. As a result, we may anticipate that security features will be more apparent from the very beginning of the design process.
Looking towards 2023
IoT is fast growing, and the solutions it provides now impact almost every industry, both B2C and B2B. Consequently, the industry will continue to develop until 2023, opening the door for creative businesses to provide a variety of advantages as long as cybersecurity best practices are kept front of mind.
About the Author
Sam Colley is CEO at Pod Group. Pod Group, A Giesecke+Devrient Company, is a specialist in IoT SIM cards and advanced connectivity solutions for enterprise IoT applications, bringing over 20 years’ experience and innovation to the telecommunications market. An Enterprise Network Operator (ENO), Pod goes beyond traditional connectivity service providers to offer unique, customized solutions designed to give enterprises of all sizes ownership and control of their IoT connectivity, from the SIM card right up to a complete private network. Pod operates its own core network, including a private LTE core which enables it to provide managed connectivity services (Network as a Service – NaaS) on both public and private spectrum. Services include global multi-network, multi-IMSI and eSIMs in addition to advanced management, billing and security solutions, all managed via a centralized platform.
Featured image: metamorworks
