Top News: IoT Rules at Mobile World Congress (MWC)
After a week of everything mobile, at least in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), it is only fitting this week’s top news recap focuses on the other three letter acronym so hotly discussed from the show – IoT. Whether you have been living under a rock or just hadn’t embraced the fascination with the latest handheld smart technologies and cellular networking, this week’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) presented by GSMA, brought together around 800 mobile operators from more than 250 companies from around the globe to discuss the latest products, software and innovations that will push the IoT space even further into maturity. Some of the key themes to come out of this year’s MWC were the fifth generation wireless systems or 5G, the impact this next-gen tech and mobile will have on the Internet of Things (IoT) and the booming IoT businesses laying the foundations of the connected world. Now as you nestle up to your favorite mobile device or smart tablet, relax and dive into this week’s IoT news roundup from MWC! MWC: 5G Key to unlocking IoT … Just Not Yet (IndustryWeek) As the MWC surged forward with excitement for 5G to finally unlock IoT, experts warn the connective battle isn’t over, as the world dives into incorporating 5G throughout. Agence France-Presse with Industry Week reports that, “5G is the term on everyone’s lips at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and a global race to develop it is under way.” IoT Race Heats up at MWC 2016 (RCR Wireless) The race heats up for IoT, as 2G networks scramble to find a new way to connect with the announcement of 5G at MWC 2016. “Mobile World Congress is all about the newest wireless technologies, but this year the end of an old technology is driving conversations around the Internet of Things.” This Week’s 5G Buzz Indicates IoT is Finally Kick-Starting (VentureBeat) The hot topic on everyone’s mind this week had to be 5G and the need for more IoT connectivity. Leon Hounshell, with Greenwave Systems reminds us that, “Regardless of the hype, CES and MWC do not reveal an IoT revolution, but they certainly show us a determined evolution, where devices will unceasingly become more connected, open, and smart.” Mobile World Congress: Internet of Things Business is Humming (USA TODAY) This week may have shown us a lot of shiny new IoT products for consumers, but the truth is IoT for business will really dominate deal-making. USA TODAY believes that, “It’s not hard to see why. Gartner forecasts that the market for IoT services will top $101 billion this year, nearly 30% more than the $78 billion that businesses spent last year. By 2020, spending for services like network deployment, operations management and data analytics is forecasted to balloon to $257 billion.” Mobile World Congress: Why Every Brand Should Become a Tech Brand (Campaign Live) Connectivity is everything, and moving forward in this technological age the MWC believes all companies should become a tech brand in order to incorporate IoT. Natalie Bell with Campaign Live states that, “We are now in an era of connecting everyone and everything. So, while Mark Zuckerberg is urging us to focus on the former and ensure wider basic connectivity across the entire globe, there’s a huge tech focus on the latter — the Internet of Things, which will be greater enabled by the increasing capacity in 5G. It’s this vast array of connected objects that have caught my attention this year.”