The impact of IoT on Mobile App Development

There is a flood of mobile apps embedded with IoT technology today; few instances can be smart vehicles, sensor-enabled bridges, buildings or pavement, smart vehicles, devices or appliances, or smart wearable such as Google Glass, Apple Watch or Fitbit.

IoT developers have innovated the way that users operate mobile devices at any location, run on electricity to be controlled by the current technology. This can impact the way mobile technology is used in our day-to-day lives – a good example is the Wi-Fi enabled thermostat for offices or home. The mobile app developed is the remote or gateway that controls the device with the thermostat being the endpoint. If a survey conducted by Ericsson Survey in 2016 is anything to go by, the number of mobile device embedded with IoT is expected to hit the 1.5 billion mark by 2021.

IoT embeds a slew of devices and applications and functions as a single system managing all. For example, mobile device embedded with IoT functionality allows you to check camera, switch on lights, or track taxi or cab.

Impact of IoT on Mobile Application Development:

• The biggest advantage with IoT is that app developers can put in the same effort to build an app which will otherwise take to creating multiple apps. Hence life has become easier for both the end users as well as developers. End-users can manage multiple tasks, with IoT being at the helm of technological advancements.

• App development, over the years, was centred on user-centric aspects. However, more app developers are rising to the fact that it’s not just that, but that apps also need to be IoT packed. These apps are definite to fill market needs in terms of multiple functions, convenience and performance.

• Hybrid apps are a rave these days as user interaction and engagement increases led by user-driven technology. Mobile app development companies have started to deploy the current set of tech stack and UI/UX methodologies with advanced codes to build hybrid apps.

• IoT provides an unprecedented number of entry points that can prove to be a threat to the app’s security. As a result of it, cybercriminals get a free hand t0 achieve their ulterior motives. App developers need to be security-driven and adopt cybersecurity measures to prevent cybercrime. It becomes important that an IoT embedded app is secure, safe and user’s privacy is not technically compromised at any stage.

Their weak security points notwithstanding, enterprises still look forward to integrating IoT in their respective areas. Businesses have started to develop IoT-enabled devices by beefing up the security layer. Since enterprises fall short of security against cyber attacks at times, security has been a talking point in application development at many forums and conferences.

Still IoT can push the defense barriers with physical devices becoming more security leak-proof thus alarming professionals about possible security vulnerabilities and threats.

IoT can turn out to be the single biggest digital technology, given the sheer size of Mobile App market, and also there can be nothing like IoT that will understand the convenience and needs of users in the future.