If you read the kind of stuff that I do, you cannot help but be amazed at the explosive growth of the Internet of Things, IoT for short. With the costs of Wi-Fi interfaces dropping into the range of $1 per device in large volume, more and more “things” are getting connected to LAN networks and the Internet. These “things” can be smart thermostats, video streaming sticks, gaming consoles, and some of our industry’s electronic security-related devices such as IP cameras, door locks, and video encoders.
While some estimates are largely guesses, it seems likely that within a few years there will be trillions of IoT devices installed in homes, businesses, industrial, and institutional buildings. I have read reports that say that the average home with two teenagers under roof will have 20-plus Internet-connected devices by the year 2020. It appears that nothing will stop the surging wave of IoT devices coming in the future.