The Internet of Things (IoT) has set the benchmark for building a futuristic society today. Encompassing a network of physical objects, a.k.a ‘’things’’, incorporated with sensors, software, and advanced technologies for exchanging data with other systems over the internet, IoT has revolutionized day-to-day activities and interactions. With the rise in smartphone penetration, implementation of IoT with mobile apps is the most promising way to bring Smart Technologies to every household.
Let’s delve deeper to understand how IoT and mobile app development go hand-in-hand.
How Implementation of IoT Is Changing the Face of Mobile App Development
Your smartphone is more than flexible when it comes to transmitting data. Moreover, as online services have drastically shifted to the mobile platform, implementation of IoT in a single mobile application such as a Smart Home Hub or a Health & Fitness Tracking App ensures smooth operation and seamless control of smart devices. A customized IoT app serves as the main interface through which several connected devices can be controlled. Ushering in advanced levels of automation, customization, and seamless connectivity, implementation of IoT is indispensable to mobile app development companies.
What Custom Android & iOS Apps with IoT Implementation Can Do for Your Business
5 fastest-growing areas for Industrial IoT implementation
With more and more industries jumping on the IoT bandwagon, it is imperative that you analyse your preferred field.
Let’s have a look at how different sectors are garnering revenues from the implementation of IoT in day-to-day mobile applications.
- Smart Homes: Gaining immense popularity in developed countries, automated house management systems based on the Internet of Things concept look to soon take over the tasks of everyday life, minimizing the need for human oversight. With the implementation of IoT in mobile apps, managing electrical, water, gas and heating resource planning, and security & remote-management systems will be just a few touches away!
- Electronic Health Care: Working in tandem with IoT devices, including wearable tech, digital healthcare apps enable remote monitoring and diagnostics of patients, and even the monitoring of moisture, temperature and UV radiation in several medical products in storage.
- Manufacturing: In manufacturing, implementation of IoT with mobile apps ensures smooth operation in digital product quality control systems, production equipment management systems, asset management systems, etc.
- Retail: Monitoring supply chain control and intelligent shopping driven by customer data constantly are how the Retail industry can reap the benefits of high-end IoT applications.
- Logistics: Applications for active and passive RFID tags, GPS trackers, and antennas make it way easier to track transported goods.
What Is Involved in IoT App Development?
The set of features will of course be different for different types of IOT apps, for example a connected car application in contrast to a smart home app. However, you must consider certain fundamental elements starting the implementation of IoT in Android and iOS apps.
Let’s first take a tour of the basic structure of any IoT system.
Major IoT components
Any IoT system will include these four components.
- Hardware is the first pillar to building any IoT system which includes different low-energy sensors that work over Bluetooth or connect to the internet. A smartphone can be an example of the hardware component in an IoT system.
- Software for an IoT system is an application that operates through cloud technology, either on mobile or the web. The software provides a dashboard for managing and controlling all connected IoT devices. Seemingly simple on the surface, a series of complex processes is involved in this, including the effective analysis, interpretation and presentation of the data collected by the devices.
- The cloud actually builds up the IoT system. Starting from processing data to arranging it, cloud technology ensures enhanced security in storing data, effectively making IoT devices seamlessly accessible from anywhere.
- The network circulates data from a smartphone to sensors & devices and then back to the smartphone, linking all devices within the IoT system.
Technologies used for IoT App Development
Implementation of IoT in Android and iOS platforms for the purpose of app development involves working with some key IoT technologies.
- Wi-Fi: This wireless networking technology provides high-speed internet without physical connections. Besides providing the pre-existing infrastructure, Wi-Fi provides Robust security, low power consumption, easy set-up with maximum capacity & high throughput, and cost-effectiveness are just to name a few.
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth paved the way for wireless data exchange among devices. Capable of doing much more than just data transfer, Bluetooth can enhance IoT applications by tracking indoor assets due to its infinite scalability, reliability, and low-power requirements.
- Bluetooth Smart: Bluetooth Smart a.k.a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) slightly tweaks classic Bluetooth technology, reducing power-consumption without compromising on communication range. Reduced implementation costs and multi-vendor interoperability further set Bluetooth Smart apart, making it indispensable to modern IoT devices.
- Beacons/iBeacons: This technology primarily uses BLE to broadcast radio signals or to communicate with other devices. Apple’s standard technology, iBeacons can be used on both iOS & Android mobile apps.
Blueprint for IoT App Development
1. IoT Platform Development
As a first step, while selecting a viable IoT platform, you must consider its compatibility with certain technologies and your cost assumption.
The following are among the most popular platforms used for developing IoT Android and iOS Apps:
- HomeKit & Android Things: Google’s IoT platform Android Things supports devices from numerous manufacturers and can connect to low-energy sensors. Apple’s HomeKit offers a set of approved devices that developers can easily connect to their IoT systems. To provide access to other devices that do not fit into the Google and the Apple ecosystems, Android Things and HomeKit IoT platforms make it easier by offering their own APIs.
- Thingworx: Thingworx is mainly publicized due to the following benefits.
- Optimization of business activities
- Partition of product and service offerings
- Top-tier user experience on the app
- Provisions for creating and pinpointing new revenue channels
- Azure IoT Suite: Microsoft’s Azure IoT Suite is specifically designed for the fast integration of various information collection devices into a consolidated system for transferring, analysing, storing, and processing data. The Azure IoT Suite provides access to a reliable and scalable storage bank to get crucial and sensitive information, thanks to the rapid advancement of the cloud technology.
- IBM Watson: AI-based IBM Watson facilitates support for a relationship between information collection devices, servers, and user parts of the developed applications. Using intuitive tools like data collection equipment, real-time analysis instruments, and thoughtful storing and processing algorithms, this IoT platform allows the creation of enterprise level IoT applications.
- Oracle IoT: Leveraging cloud technology, applications created with Oracle IoT, have a whole host of advanced capabilities—device virtualization, endpoint management, high-speed messaging, stream processing, data enrichment, and REST API support, to name a few.
- KAA IoT: The open-source KAA IoT platform provides an incredibly rich toolkit with advanced features, a well-thought-out functionality for the adjustment of mobile device compatibility, flexible management of large number of sensors for collecting information through an SDK server, cloud services, real-time sensor monitoring, automation of software updates, and much more.
Besides these, Google’s cross-platform app development framework, Flutter, is another good option.
2. Hardware Selection
If you aren’t ready to invest in making your own unique IoT hardware, you can pick up the most suitable hardware from other device makers, as per your product’s needs. Ensure the reliability of the hardware, as its connection accuracy is crucial for any project’s success.
3. Scalability
Enhancing your app’s functionality and scalability should be the next step towards successful IoT app development. Enabling your app to manage large volume of data and many different devices and processes, integrating cloud technology to the core of your IoT app development are some best practices.
4. Agility
A critical element for the success of any IoT app is high speed. When it comes to sharing data and remotely controlling devices, enhanced app performance with high-speed connections can prevent you from wasting valuable resources.
5. Security
IoT technology is vulnerable to data infringement, owing to the large number of connected devices that operate through one network. Moreover, involvement of IoT in many confidential areas further threaten private and sensitive data leakages. Using secure tools for building your IoT application stands to be a no-brainer.
Some Final Words
As the world becomes more connected, and every-day life gets more automated, with each passing day, the implementation of IoT in mobile apps looks to be a make-or-break domain that you must leverage in time, or risk getting left behind. The marriage of IoT and mobile applications is here to stay. Make sure you aren’t late to the party!
To develop a successful IOT app that leaves no leaf unturned when it comes to stability, speed and security, you need an IoT application development team that knows their stuff.
As a mobile application developer, we at Josh Software are super excited to make you a part of this Smart App Development.
Start your IoT-platform app development journey with us today. Reach out to us for more information!
Josh Software
As an open-source novel OS, we at Josh Software are super excited to follow the journey of Flutter app development embraced with Cloud. Watch this space for more updates!
Start your app development journey with us today. Reach out to us if you need any information.
