Microsoft has announced today that it will invest $5 billion in the Internet of Things over the next four years. The company that has been investing in IoT since before the term was even coined has seen the far-reaching influence of its future investments, with their customers delivering electricity to schools in Africa, creating better patient outcomes with predictive care, improving worker safety on job sites, and driver safety on Alaskan roadways using IoT solutions to create operational efficiencies.
The reason we are doing this is simple: Our goal is to give every customer the ability to transform their businesses, and the world at large, with connected solutions. – Julia White, CVP, Microsoft Azure
The company intends to utilize its upcoming investments and resources to research and innovate in IoT and what is ultimately evolving to be the new intelligent edge. Microsoft says that their IoT platform spanning cloud, OS, and device is well positioned to make the Microsoft IoT journey simple and, most importantly, available to any customer, regardless of size, technical expertise, budget, industry, or other factors, to allow them to create trusted, connected solutions that improve business and customer experiences, as well as the daily lives of people all over the world.
The announcement also states, “We’re now seeing the kind of increased adoption and exponential growth that analysts have been forecasting for years, and we’re just getting started. A.T. Kearney predicts IoT will lead to a $1.9 trillion productivity increase and $177 billion in reduced costs by 2020. This effect will be pervasive, from connected homes and cars to manufacturers to smart cities and utilities—and everything in between.”
