Stumped by the Internet of (Too Many) Things?

Here’s an interesting disconnect: 84 percent of C-suite executives believe that the Internet of Things (IoT) will create new sources of revenue. However, only 7 percent have committed to an IoT investment.[1] Why the gap between belief and action? Perhaps it’s because of the number of zeroes. Welcome to the world of overwhelming numbers: billions of things connecting to millions of sensors with 1.6 trillion dollars at stake.[2] What does a billion look or feel like, much less a trillion? If you’re like me, it’s difficult to relate to such large-scale numbers. So it’s not surprising that many companies are taking a wait-and-see approach. They will wait for the dust to settle—and for the numbers to become less abstract—before taking action. Analysts make some big claims, and it can feel like IoT promises the world. But many businesses both large and small aren’t ready to invest in a brand new world, even if they believe that IoT can deliver on its promise. However, the same businesses that are wary of large promises could use connected things today to make small changes that might significantly impact profitability. For example, changes in the way your users conduct meetings could dramatically improve efficiency. Imagine a routine meeting that is assisted by fully connected sensors, apps, and devices. These connected things, forming a simple IoT solution, could anticipate your needs and do simple things for you to save time. They could reserve the conference room, dim the lights, adjust the temperature, and send notes to meeting attendees. That’s why we here at Intel are so excited to partner with Citrix Octoblu. Designed with the mission to connect anything to everything, Octoblu offers a way for your business to take advantage of IoT today, even before all your things are connected. Octoblu provides software and APIs that automate interactions across smart devices, wearables, sensors, and many other things. Intel brings Intel IoT Gateways to that mix, which are pretested and optimized hardware platforms built specifically with IoT security in mind. The proven and trusted Intel reputation in the hardware industry, combined with Octoblu, a noted pioneer in IoT, can help address concerns about security and complexity as companies look at the possibilities for connected things. IoT is shaping up to be more than just hype. Check out a new infographic that shows small, practical ways you can benefit from IoT today. Or read the Solution Brief to learn more about how the Intel and Citrix partnership can help you navigate the uncharted territory surrounding IoT. [1] Accenture survey. “CEO Briefing 2015: From Productivity to Outcomes. Using the Internet of Things to Drive Future Business Strategies.” 2015. Written in collaboration with The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). https://www.accenture.com/t20150708T060455__w__/ke-en/_acnmedia/Accenture/Conversion-Assets/DotCom/Documents/Global/PDF/Dualpub_7/Accenture-CEO-Briefing-2015-Productivity-Outcomes-Internet-Things.pdf. [2] McKinsey Global Institute. “Unlocking the Potential of the Internet of Things.” June 2015. http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/business_technology/the_internet_of_things_the_value_of_digitizing_the_physic al_world.