IoT Starting to Mean 'Intelligence of Things,' CES Told
LAS VEGAS -- New technologies and apps are creating excitement among manufacturers and other businesses, said CTA Vice President-Research Steve Koenig during an annual trends to watch presentation Sunday. “It’s not because it’s cool and fun,” he said: “It’s because it’s a very competitive marketplace, and businesses around the world are looking for an edge. Technology provides that.”
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The first CES of the 5G era formally opens Tuesday. Media events kicked off Sunday and panels Monday. In remarks Tuesday, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is expected to lay out the latest on C band for licensed use and 6 GHz band for unlicensed (see 1912310039).
Faucets, bathroom vanities and even toilets are becoming connected and intelligent, Koenig said. The IoT is becoming the “intelligence of things” rather than the internet of things, he said. “Artificial intelligence is permeating every aspect of our commerce and our culture. … We’re talking about technology’s influence on human behavior.”
Expect developments in massive and critical IoT, which will include things like remote surgery, Koenig said: “That’s a pretty heavy lift data wise.” Connected agriculture will be a big trend, with farm equipment that's automated and self-driving, he said. Last year, John Deere for the first time premiered a massive tractor (see 1901090024) on the show floor, he noted. The IoT will enable “squadrons” of drones to look for plant disease and monitor water use, Koenig said. Agriculture technologies “are here now, and they’re getting even better and more powerful,” he said. Other sensors will be planted on the soil, he said. The FCC has a new Precision Agriculture Task Force (see 1912090047).
This show will include lots of electric vehicles and announcements from some pretty big companies in the space, Koenig said. He noted the importance of cellular vehicle-to-everything technology, which got one of its first big pushes here two years ago (see 1801220024). “We’re finally at that inflection point where electrification makes a lot of sense,” Koenig said: “This is the electric decade for vehicles” with better batteries, faster charging and improved motors. We're seeing more and more commercial deployments," he said. "The fleets are coming."
More than 50 5G networks have launched, said Lesley Rohrbaugh, CTA director-research. By 2022, two-thirds of the market will switch from a focus on 4G to 5G handsets, she said: “As more and more carriers roll out their 5G capabilities, more and more handsets” are emerging.
“We expect that in the future the entire home will be connected, so it’s not just devices, it’s not just fixtures,” Rohrbaugh said: “It’s smart roofing systems, smart walls.”