The end of the smartphone era is not anywhere close but we might see greater integration between mobile and other platforms in the future, according to Forrester Research analyst Thomas Husson.
In a new report, Husson claims that the Internet of Things (IoT) will bring new consumer and business opportunities in the next five to ten years, as billions of connected devices are added, but mobile will remain a dominant hub where consumers connect things together.
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The Forrester report tries to hit back at the view that we’re moving from a mobile age to other platforms like virtual and augmented reality, as the main “hub” areas for IoT connectivity and notifications.
“It is time to stop this quixotic quest for a paradigmatic new platform to replace mobile. Instead, recognize that mobile will activate these adjacent technologies to enable new brand experiences,” said Husson. “Reports of IoT killing mobile are greatly exaggerated, if not completely inaccurate. Echoing the traditional proclamation of “The King is dead; long live The King!” I can confirm that mobile is here to stay.”
Mobile may begin to fade – but only over years
Ten years in the future, we might start seeing mobile fade as the primary connection between two devices, as machine learning and AI is deployed to automatically tune the devices and make them work in sync. Even at that point, smartphones will remain the main port for user control and identity, according to Husson.
In between now and ten years, Husson provides a roadmap that details how connected devices will become more attuned to other sensors. That should happen in the next two years, followed by machine learning that can understand what the user wants to do after they switch a light on or turn the TV off, which will supposedly come in five years.
Enthusiasm about IoT is at near peak levels, but enterprises seem to be very cautious with the new technology, which might mean a long wait until both the consumer and industrial market is flooded with devices and users.
