Theme timeline
A history of the Internet of Things
Credit: Bert van Dijk/Getty images.
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According to a 2011 Cisco white paper written by Dave Evans, the IoT was born between 2008 and 2009, when the number of connected devices exceeded the number of people worldwide. Of course, evidence of implementation of IoT-related concepts dates back decades, but many academics saw 2009 as the turning point. Today, billions of connected devices exist, such as cars, fridges, speakers, watches, and heart monitors.
The timeline below shows the key milestones in the history of the IoT and includes predictions on how it will evolve.
1995
Siemens funded the development of M1, a GSM data module for machine-to-machine (M2M) applications.
1999
Procter & Gamble's Kevin Ashton coined the term ‘Internet of Things’.
2000
LG announced the world's first internet-connected fridge.
2003
BigBelly Solar launched a solar-powered trash bin that could send notifications over the internet when it was full.
2005
The UN published its first report on the IoT via the ITU.
2008
The IPSO Alliance was founded to promote the use of IP in connected devices.
2009
The number of connected devices exceeded the number of people on Earth.
2011
Nest Labs launched the Nest Learning Thermostat.
2013
Qualcomm founded the AllSeen Alliance, and Intel set up the Open Internet Consortium.
2014
Google acquired Nest Labs and launched Google Glass. Apple launched the Apple Watch and the Apple HomeKit.
2016
GE announced its Predix IoT platform.
2017
Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) and long-range low-power wireless platforms began to gain traction.
2018
The rollout of 5G began alongside national LPWAN initiatives.
2020
Covid-19 disrupted the IoT ecosystem. IoT-based tools supported workplace distancing and contact tracing. The US IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act was signed into law. Cisco discontinued its smart city offering.
2021
IoT with advanced analytics became prominent in healthcare and advanced manufacturing. IoT security became a top priority among vendors.
2022
Intelligent edge went mainstream and became a primary accelerator for IoT.
2023
IoT-related supply chain and chip manufacturing became more flexible and robust.
2024
Industrial IoT connections will overtake consumer ones, according to GSMA.
2025
IoT connections will reach almost 25 billion globally, according to GSMA. IoT-related supply chain and chip manufacturing will become more flexible and robust.
2027
According to GlobalData forecasts, the global IoT market will be worth $1,677bn.
2030
The use of AR and VR in IoT will be pervasive.
2035
There will be one trillion IoT devices, according to predictions by Arm.
Source: GlobalData
GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Thematic Intelligence uses proprietary data, research, and analysis to provide a forward-looking perspective on the key themes that will shape the future of the world’s largest industries and the organisations within them.
