In the News

Before we get started, it’s important to put things in perspective. The use of low-cost IoT solutions – what friends call “cheap and cheerful” – will still be most of the market. It has the legacy already and extraordinarily little of AIoT needs to be at the endpoint in order for benefits to be achieved. However, somewhere in the mix, the addition of artificial intelligence can bring new benefits.

Earlier this month, Matt Hatton — Founding Partner at Transforma Insights, and a well-respected commentator and thought-leader with more than 20 years of experience — penned what we believe was a great piece of content about the Internet of Things.

Swiss IoT module maker u-blox has announced its decision to exit the cellular IoT sector due to persistent losses. With over 200 employees, this division generated CHF 27 million in revenue during the first half of 2024. However, it reported losses of over CHF 15 million in the same period.

Swiss IoT module maker u-blox is to phase out its loss-making cellular IoT business, the firm has said. The division has over 200 employees; jobs are expected to go with its closure. It made revenue of CHF 27 million ($29.6 million) in the first half of 2024, against (adjusted EBIT) losses of more than CHF 15 million ($16.45 million) in the period. The move will eliminate “at least” CHF 30 million ($32.9 million) of annual EBIT losses, it said, as it puts additional focus on its GNSS satellite positioning business, particularly, alongside its short-range IoT connectivity segment.

The Internet of Things (IoT) presents mobile operators with a transformative opportunity to unlock new revenue streams and maximize the ROI on their infrastructure. However, realizing IoT’s full potential demands more than simply repackaging standard consumer services.

The joint security initiative between the IoT M2M Council (IMC) and the Global Certification Forum (GCF) is set to benefit from a free IoT technology regulatory database produced by Transforma Insights.

The latest research from Transforma Insights indicates that 5G will grow to account for more than 80% of IoT connectivity revenue by 2040, but mostly by virtue of future-proofing; advanced functionality enabled by 5G Standalone (SA) is not expected to accelerate MNO revenues significantly.

A new report published today by Transforma Insights provides an extensive analysis of the revenue opportunity associated with 5G IoT connectivity, with a particular focus on the additional functionality delivered by 5G Stand Alone. The report details the plethora of features of 3GPP releases 15 to 19 that could be applied to IoT – including higher bandwidth (eMBB), real-time communications (URLLC), and Quality-on-Demand – and quantifies the impact that they will have on MNOs’ IoT connectivity revenue.

IoT continues to be a dynamic and evolving field, with 2025 set to bring key transitions in technology, market dynamics, and regulatory frameworks. Transforma Insights has outlined ten critical themes, or ‘Transition Topics’, expected to shape the IoT landscape in 2025, and set to form the backbone of its 2025 research agenda. These topics encompass AI integration, connectivity, regulations, geopolitics, and verticalisation, each holding significant implications for IoT adopters and vendors. In this article we briefly explore these pivotal trends.

Does AT&T’s decision to ditch NB-IoT in the US, confirmed in RCR Wireless last week, spell the end for this clever and brave little IoT network technology? Just as a technology, the answer is: no, probably not – at least until LTE, whose ‘guardband’ it occupies, is retired in the middle of next decade. But as a global one, the answer is: yes, surely – that this finally explodes the hair-brained notion that NB-IoT was ever a global solution in its own right. It was, and will surely remain, a rather parochial affair.