IoT is a relatively new term in the technological world though it managed to become one of the most popular trends of our days. The technology itself contributes a lot into the increase in connectivity between devices and end-users. Thanks to IoT it’s now easier and more convenient to manage everyday life if talking about personal usage. Businesses and industries also take a great advantage of IoT integrating this technology into their workflow. Billions of dollars are invested in IoT development. New prototypes are produced everyday. The IoT market is thriving fast which makes it a lucrative business. The high popularity and demand for better and more top-notch IoT solutions resulted in IoT mobile app development since controlling the IoT ecosystems via the smartphone is even more convenient.
IoT includes three aspects in general: network, devices themselves and a cloud for storage.
Network connects the devices with embedded sensors and beacons with the stationed storage clouds, processing the data and then sending it back to the device. A common example of IoT system that many people are familiar with is a smart home. The IoT integration turns a random house into a magic castle that fulfills every home owners wish: lock/unlock the doors, monitor utility consumption, adjusting heating system according to the temperature outdoor, control other IoT devices available in the house.
The devices that support IoT technology in most cases are low powered and don’t have displays. They often don't possess any operating system except for smart sensors. With such sensors they get directly linked up to IoT cloud.
Cloud is a server that is designed to store data collected by devices and streamed via the network and analyze it. Cloud is a secure way to store confidential data. Also when there is no network connection you won't lose any data it will still be processed. Cloud can appear as a web app or a mobile app and even used by the end users.
Developing an IoT app: what steps you should follow
Choose a suitable platform
For starters you need to choose a platform that will host your IoT app. You can either choose an out-of-box solution or build the platform from scratch. There are a number of ready solutions that have proven themselves as a stable and convenient platforms for IoT app development. To name a few, they are Thingworx, Xively and Ubidots. These platforms offer a wide range of tools to build best in class apps.
Moreover, if you choose to use one of these builders, you won’t have to start from the very beginning but focus more on the product itself.
Consider the industry for IoT application
The IoT technology are widely used in different sectors: healthcare, sports, manufacturing, logistics, energy resources, sports, manufacturing etc. These industries embrace IoT to offer better service and optimize the workflow. For instance, it is easier nowadays to find transportation, as buses and trains are embedded with special sensors and GPS which enable the real time tracking. All kinds of wearables are applied in healthcare (glucose monitors, tracked ingestible sensors and fitness trackers). This way a regular hospital turns into a smart hospital.
Secure IoT data
Security is a vital issue for any mobile app, and IoT apps are no exception. Make sure that you have a secured environment for IoT data that will be immune to any attacks and breaches. Note that you need to ensure firmware security as well.
