More than a quarter of all businesses worldwide now using M2M technologies to enhance productivity
There is continued strong growth in the use of M2M technologies, networks and services that connect a wide variety of smart devices, from household products and cars to industrial applications, to the so-called Internet of Things (IoT), according to a new report.
The Vodafone M2M Barometer Report reveals that more than one quarter of all companies worldwide are now using M2M, up from 12% when Vodafone first launched the report in 2013. Altogether, over a quarter of all businesses worldwide are now using M2M technologies to enhance productivity, up 23% year on year, the report showed.
Also, 59% of companies reported a significant return on investment from M2M and 83% said they see M2M as a source of competitive advantage.
A significant majority of early adopters are already seeing clear business advantages from M2M deployment; 81% of those surveyed have expanded their use of M2M technologies over the last year.
Overall awareness of M2M and the IoT increased significantly during 2014 to 2015; 78% of all companies surveyed – both adopters and non-adopters – told researchers that they are familiar with the new technologies.
The fastest growth in rates of adoption, up 88% year on year, is in the retail sector where typical M2M applications include in-store digital signage, smart payment systems and supply chain optimisation.
The M2M Barometer also found strong growth in the healthcare sector (up 47%), where M2M is used for applications such as remote patient monitoring and patient record systems, and the utilities sector (up 32%), driven by the global expansion of smart metering systems to enhance energy efficiency.
Meanwhile, the automotive industry continues to embed M2M as a core technology within the designs of new vehicles, with the accelerating production of so-called ‘connected cars’ accounting for a 14% year on year increase in M2M adoption in that sector.
