Mobile application development and the Internet of Things has been at its peak for the past several years. Smart systems are increasingly affecting our lives, and, nowadays, mobile devices are the link between technology and people. 

Transforming Business Processes with Mobile IoT Devices

The penetration rate of technological innovations in most areas of the economy and society has been increasing exponentially, mainly due to the dissemination of information and communication technologies. In the next 10-15 years, the radical leap is expected, which will be associated with the IoT mobile app development. The degree of interconnected household appliances that function without human intervention (for example, robotic systems in the framework of digital production) has increased rapidly. The digital transformation of economic sectors is changing the nature of the interaction between people and machines. In the period until 2025, the economic effect of the introduction of IoT technologies is estimated at between $2.7 trillion and $6.2 trillion annually.

The use of IoT is transforming business processes, increasing the efficiency of the entire value chain, which ultimately leads to the formation of new business models and markets. The main areas of application of the IoT are supply chain, freight and asset management, machine diagnostics and telemetry, inventory management, industrial automation control, real-time equipment monitoring, etc.

The automation of routine production operations through the introduction of IoT systems will strengthen integration between participants in the technological chain. Suppliers, logistics, marketing, and even consumers will occur in a single information field. This will facilitate the flexibility and speed of production on the market, as well as reduce optimization costs. 

Mobile Applications and IoT

The number of mobile app development companies that integrate the functions of their devices with IoT has sharply increased recently. Back in 2009, the number of connected devices exceeded the population of the Earth. We can say that we already live in a connected world, just so far it is not very noticeable. McKinsey University predicts that by 2025, IoT’s contribution to the global economy will range from $3.9 to $11.1 trillion. 

The technology has penetrated many spheres of life: traffic control systems, connected cars, electrical networks, devices for analyzing medical indicators, household appliances, custom trackers. Even outdoor advertising is already becoming “smart” and allows you to personalize messages on billboards. In many areas, the use of the Internet of things is now very successful and cost-effective.

The central interface for human interaction with “smart systems” is mobile applications. Custom products illustrate this. For example, a smart toothbrush. Where else, if not on the phone, will we look at data on the quality of brushing our  teeth? You can brew coffee without getting up off the couch in a smart coffee maker or watch what is left in your smart fridge directly from the store. 

But the concept penetrates not only the B2C segment. Many gas pipeline networks are already hung with control sensors. And it is not enough for engineers to have a single central control point - they need to be equipped with mobile applications. So they can receive relevant data and interact with the system “in the fields”.

What Can You do With the IoT Mobile App?

• Observe (readings of devices, sensors, video)

• Analyze (build graphs and reports)

• Manage (open/close, enable/disable, trigger an alarm, send messages, and perform many other actions).

How Do Exactly IoT Apps Work? 

To better understand what advantages can IoT bring to mobile apps, we need to know how they work in combination. For instance, let’s consider the custom mobile app development utilizing IoT for car drivers. There is a hypothesis that the quality of driving is associated with the number of accidents. And this, in turn, affects the cost of insurance. Therefore, insurers offer to build a special device in the car that collects data from the CAN bus. All data about how well the user drives the car is transmitted to the server. The application allows the user to analyze their driving style and adjust it to get a good discount.

There is another interesting type of application - the one  that serves as a server. That is, it is a full-fledged center for routing and data processing, independently carrying out business logic. For example, the automation system of cafes operating on the counter service model with cash desk services. At first glance, it looks simple. The system consists of dozens of devices that are connected to a local area network and are controlled with an   iPad or iPhone. The network operates autonomously without access to the Internet, but, if there is a network, it is synchronized with the cloud. Some iPads are at the checkout, some in the kitchen and in the bar, others - at the waiters. Cash gadgets route orders between devices and get back execution statistics. They interact with peripheral devices: printers, fiscal registrars, cash drawers, and card readers. Even tax reports are sent online through the connected fiscal registrar.

Thanks to the Internet of things, the world has become a place where everything is connected through small devices, which makes information accessible everywhere. The development of the Internet of things is closely connected with the Analytics Revolution, the cutting edge of computer development, and 5G mobile networks. From healthcare to education and from smart offices to smart homes, the IoT will gradually become mainstream. Google has already released Android Things to increase the implementation of the Internet of Things using its technology. There is an ever-increasing demand for business mobile app development, devices connected to the Internet, and mobile applications that allow you to work with them. The increasing deployment of novice technologies obliges mobile app developers to move in this direction.