The Internet of Things (IoT) remains one of the most discussed topics in technology. From smart cities to powering industry 4.0, there are high expectations for its transformative and revolutionary claims. However, the reality is that mass IoT adoption is still underway. One of the primary reasons is the increasingly complexity and fragmentation of the IoT ecosystem.

As a result, service providers establish arms-length partnerships, creating a complex dynamic for businesses trying to construct a coherent IoT strategy. 

In fact, most of the applications that currently are often silo-ed. Vertical solutions that do not represent the highly interconnected world that the name would suggest. 

The current IoT ecosystem 
Most companies simply do not have the capabilities and resources to do it all in IoT. According to this article by the IEEE, rather than looking at businesses as the basic unit in IoT, it is in face ecosystems that are ultimately the competitive unit.  

Thus, competition exists between ecosystems, instead of between companies. Instead of one monolithic IoT ecosystem, there will be many smaller, interlinked ecosystems. A network of providers who closely work with each other to create mutual value for the end user. 

Key considerations 

So, what do end-users to consumers have to weigh in on when considering different IoT ecosystems?  

Here are some to get you started: 

APIs: Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are the basic building blocks of an IoT ecosystem, that allows two applications to seamlessly communicate with each other.

For some, designing an API from scratch is impractical. For others, the API pricing and support discourages mass global deployments. Not only does the API have to create sufficient value for the end user, it should also be cost effective in the long term.  

At ZARIOT, our open APIs mean end users can integrate our products and services to enhance their current IoT applications, without the additional cost of niche software or licensing programs. In addition, they retain their proprietary source code and protect new revenue streams.  

Platforms: For any business looking to execute an IoT strategy, an IoT platform is a must. Preferably, one that provides functionality, reliability, security and flexibility. The platform needs to give end users an easy way to manage devices, access products and services from contributors across the ecosystem, and access enriched data to improve business processes. 

ZARIOT’s highly intuitive platform is highly customizable and gives end users full control over features and functionality. Easily create and download reports on device health, data usage, network functionality, and more. The portal also allows for multi-tenancy at no extra cost, with bespoke user access for every account. 

IoT community: For an IoT ecosystem, collaborations and partnerships need to be established. Partners should develop products and services based on their own goals, as well as those of other ecosystem participants. This boosts innovations and accelerates market participation for ecosystem partners, enabling them to invest and create new products and services beyond their home industry.  

We are a strong supporter of the ecosystem approach to IoT. ZARIOT has been building our IoT partner ecosystem to provide a variety of value-added services and support to end users. From IoT specific blockchain to no-coding needed SIM applets, find out more about our current partner offerings here.

With our eUICC enabled SIMs, end users can also continuously configure their features and services over the entire device lifecycle instead of font loading unnecessary features. 

Conclusions 
Building an IoT ecosystem that is holistic, moves away from siloed, vertical value chains that makes the landscape more complex and fragmented than it needs to be.  

Instead, IoT providers should look towards collaborative partnerships that will streamline and simplify IoT adoption, implementation, and execution. Which in turn will encourage more business to adopt and deploy highly beneficial, global IoT projects. 

For more information about ZARIOT ecosystem offerings, reach out to schedule a meeting here, or better yet, try our SIMs for free today.