‘Alexa…could you play ‘Baa Baa Blacksheep…?’
Well, it is that simple now. ‘Alexa’ is the latest introduction to a family in most homes and nobody seems to mind it a bit. Now, you can ‘ask’ Alexa to read your mails, the news, dim the lights, make calls, and maybe even yell at your wife if you are too tired.
The internet-boom does not appear to be slowing down any sooner. In fact, it is only growing, exploding, and exploiting to a certain extent. Now, one cannot imagine stepping out without your Android phone, in fact, there have been instances where people have suffered panic-attacks simply because they had left their phones at home. The ‘IoT’ is the latest gift to mankind from the gods of the Internet. Translating to the ‘Internet of Things’, IoT is all around us. With the IoT android app development at full swing, it is not surprising that we are surrounded by IoT everywhere. Unbelievable? Well, take a look around. ‘Smart’ is the new cool. Smartwatches, smart TVs, smartphones, and smart ‘homes’. These are the appliances or devices which run through IoT. Let’s explore further.
The IoT Ecosystem
With the growing trend of the ‘smart’ homes, IoT app development is only obvious. Simply put, IoT is a network that connects the various devices and appliances which have unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data without any human assistance or involvement. This has led to a widespread need for platforms that can feature IoT app development. One such platform is the simple Android phone. So, it would be safe to say that the current ‘IoT movement’ has been driven by Android. So how does an IoT mobile app development work? Let us find out.
Sensor to Data Transfer
The digital signals are generated by the Sensors present in the devices by detecting physical properties like temperature, touch etc. The data is transferred from the sensors through open source implementations like MQTT and XMPP. An IoT application development services in a certain device is required to ‘contain’ all the components within. This is where Android phones come into play.
IoT App Development for mobile
It has been reported that Google Playstore has hosted around 2.6 million apps during December 2016. Various programs are designed to receive and store the data generated by the sensors, also known as the ‘servers’. The main function of the server is to receive data, decode it, and process it. So, in order to develop an IoT App, we need an Android App developer, as Androids are the most widely used devices that easily support the entire ‘IoT’ system.
The boom of the IoT App Development Companies
The basic process that involves developing a software that can bring together machine learning technologies with the sensor data and predictive analysis in order to give out usable user experiences, is the main concept behind the IoT App development. Some of the leading IoT development companies are Inoxoft, Biz4Group LLC, HQ Software, Mobiloitte, to name a few. The main aim of these companies is to be able to provide an Operating System and service infrastructure. Some of the top brands like Microsoft, IBM, and Google are leading IoT providers. These brands tie-up with Android in order to reach out to the masses. The IoT application development services focus on the consumer market and mass appeal. Android falls perfectly in the scheme of things, as it is one of the most widely used devices across the world.
The Everyday ‘IoT’
Surprisingly, the need for IoT app development did not grow overnight. With top brands and IoT development companies competing with each other to provide the best in Operating Systems that can be easily accessible to the general public. Today, there are wide applications for IoT, like the wearables, appliances, transport, healthcare just to name a few. In fact, it has been predicted that in the near future, ‘Smart Cities’ will erupt which will be completely run by the ‘IoT’ technology.
IoT App Development: Security and Concerns
‘With big things, come bigger responsibilities’. Rightly so, as the present sees enormous growth in the ‘IoT’ technology, there also arise some major security concerns as well. The first and prime threat arises from Hackers. This usually happens as the Internet and the router getaways are the main ‘wormholes’ which are susceptible to being attacked by ‘security theft’. As the IoT deals with the collection and analysis of data, there are huge chances that your private information could become fodder for hackers. In the case of huge companies using IoT for their everyday functioning, it runs a big risk that a rival brand could easily ‘snake’ its way to retrieve useful secrets from the database.
As the field of IoT technology is still in its initial ‘growth-phase’, there are still facts and figures to learn about. This makes the technology easily targeted by ‘concerned’ parties to breach information and extract useful data. It is always necessary to imagine the aftermath of an ‘IoT-fail’. Imagine a sudden abrupt shut-down at a ‘Smart City’, where you are stuck in a subway run by IoT technology! Or your ‘smart home’ can be easily controlled by a hacker lurking nearby, thus causing the undesirable ‘changes’ to your private space as per his wish. There have already been reports of car-theft, where hackers simply ‘crawled’ their way into the smart car security system to easily ‘steal’ them.
The Solution
On a happier note, the IoT app development companies are already on their way to offer security options for IoT applications. One such solution is the unique Operating Service (OS). Also termed as OS convergence, the required customization process is a major lead towards the process of OS defragmentation. This is the basis of providing security to IoT run apps and devices. It is also recommended by the IoT application development service to build and test a certain OS, crafting low-level drivers, the addition of security features and updating of software.
Conclusion
While one cannot deny the risk-level characteristic of the IoT technology; however, it is a ‘future you cannot avoid’. The ‘IoT’ boom is here to stay. With the ever-growing need for comfort by man, it is only obvious that this is the ‘next-big-thing’. However, the good news is that, with the ever-developing field of technology, you can rest assured that security measures are on their way.
So, while we continue to enjoy the merriments of a comfortable world, where everything is just a ‘touch’ away, IoT is our calling. Meanwhile, you can ask ‘Alexa’ to explain to you all about the IoT technology as you read this article.
