Farnell launches global IoT survey

The global IoT survey is open from 10 January to 18 March 2022 with results to be announced in the Spring.

These insights will also help shape the product range and technical resources offered by Farnell to support this diverse and evolving technology.

Participants in the global IoT survey (from eligible countries) can also enter a competition with the opportunity to win:

• An Apple iPAD 10.2 inch
• A £250 Amazon gift card (or local currency equivalent)
• A £50 Amazon gift card (or local currency equivalent)

The Farnell 2022 annual IoT survey is open to engineers working on IoT solutions. This year’s questions have been designed to provide a deep dive into the IoT industry and responses will provide greater understanding of the technologies, challenges, and opportunities designers of IoT solutions face. The results will show how the IoT industry is changing year-on-year, revealing the full range of potential applications and market trends. Understanding the continued impact COVID-19 has on IoT developments is also a key focus.

During 2020-21, the pandemic had a significant impact on the IoT industry, leading to rapid growth in the development of new medical diagnosis and automated test systems as well as medical equipment with improved connectivity. Industrial systems have also been adversely impacted by the global shortages of key manufacturing components and supply chain issues.

Key results from the 2021 survey revealed the growing role of IoT for industrial automation and control applications essential to the delivery of Industry 4.0. The top three industry segments leading the way in IoT applications included industrial automation and control (25%), home automation (18%) and artificial intelligence (12%).

Despite industrial automation and control being deemed a key market for IoT, there was recognition that Industry 4.0 adoption remained slow, primarily due to concerns over security (32%) and lack of business strategy (30%) hindering the adoption and integration of smart manufacturing solutions.

Security continued to be the most important aspect for developers to consider (29%) when developing their design, and it is also their primary concern (36%), followed by connectivity and interoperability. Interoperability and certification to standards were identified as key to accelerating the benefits of IoT in both the 2019 and 2020 surveys.

Farnell’s research also suggests that opportunities within the IoT will continue to grow in key application areas such as smart home, industry and government.

Cliff Ortmeyer, Global Head of Technical Marketing for Farnell says:“The impact of the IoT is now present in all walks of life from home automation and entertainment to healthcare and transport. Intelligent connectivity and AI will drive worldwide technology development and will be key to the growth of Industry 4.0. The results from our next annual survey will provide innovators and designers with a global perspective on emerging technologies that will shape future new product developments. The survey responses will ensure Farnell can meet the product needs of our customers now and in the future while giving the design community a forum to share trends, challenges and best practice in the IoT space.”

Farnell provides access to an extensive range of development tools for IoT and works with innovative providers to bring the latest for AI and security. Customers can find support and design resources including the IoT Hub, AI pages and an AI configurator on the Farnell website. Fast delivery is available on all major development boards for IoT including Raspberry Pi, Intel (NUC range), Industrial Shields, KUNBUS and more.