Use of M2M technology in enterprises is growing rapidly – ZDNet.de

The use of so-called machine-to-machine communications in the industry is increasing rapidly. This is clear from the current study Vodafone “M2M adoption Barometer 2014″ out. Consequently, at present already use 22 percent of the companies surveyed M2M communication, automatically exchange data via the Internet in the equipment, vehicles and machinery. This represents an increase of 80 percent compared to last year

The trend is set to continue, according to Vodafone study. With 55 percent see more than half of the respondents in 2016 the use of M2M solutions in their organization before . Even in Germany, makes the trend noticeable: While M2M technology was used in German companies in 2013, only 14 percent of respondents, 28 percent are now using it. For the second time survey Vodafone surveyed 600 executives from 14 countries and seven industries the use of M2M applications in their businesses worldwide in collaboration with the analyst firm Circle Research.

The Vodafone study “M2M adaptation Barometer 2014 “found that the area of ​​consumer electronics M2M technology most commonly used – closely followed by the energy sector and the automotive industry (Source: Vodafone)

main motivations for the use of. M2M gave the German companies in addition to a reduction in the cost of also increasing productivity. Moreover, the report shows that the M2M technology increasingly in external products and services come with direct customer relationship to use. The first wave of M2M projects other hand, was primarily oriented towards internal company processes. According to the study, up to 2016, about three-quarters of M2M projects have an external reference.

M2M vs. Internet of Things

Machina Research expects by 2022 a total of 22 billion “Connected Devices “. However, in view of these networked devices market observers see a fundamental difference between the machine-to-machine communication on the one hand and the Internet of Things (IoT) on the other side. M2M grasp on the concept of data sharing and referring devices of any kind with an among themselves automatically exchange information. This can be about an electricity meter, the electricity prices at peak time determined, a car that transmits a deficiency in the repair shop or a vending machine, which transmits the filler that he should soon be replenished.

Thus M2M Outsmart rather as a kind of “pipeline” for the Internet of Things (Internet of Things, also IoT), which is interdependent of the automated communication of the machines. IoT here uses the M2M infrastructure to bring together data from many different sources using a single application platform. Based on this, then developers create new applications.

Machina Research M2M compares with the mobile internet connection of a smartphone while IoT in this analogy with that access apps like Facebook or Google is equated. Also, the market research firm IDC describes in a White Paper the Internet of Things as a successor or subset of M2M.

consumer electronics industry is most commonly M2M a

In the current Vodafone study went so primarily to the preamble of the machine-to-machine communication. One result of the survey indicates that M2M applications are particularly strong in the fields of consumer electronics, energy and automotive industries. The market penetration here is around 30 percent each

The most common use companies from the consumer electronics the automated exchange of information between devices. Among the companies surveyed the spread is currently 29 percent. This is due to, among other things, that more and more devices for consumers – such as Smart TVs and game consoles – are connected via an M2M solution to the Internet. This development is according to the study reinforce the growth in the coming years. By 2016, use M2M communication almost three quarters of all electrical equipment manufacturers. This shows the trend especially in the direction of networked household appliances such as heating thermostats or kitchen appliances

Also, the utilities already rely heavily on the M2M communication. Way is the report that 28 percent of the companies in this sector to its customers offer M2M-based solutions such as smart meters (smart meters counter) or Smart Home (intelligent home networking). The survey has made equally clear here that this trend will continue in the coming years: a total of 62 percent of the surveyed companies from the energy sector want to use M2M technology in the next two years. One of the reasons for this growth is the increasing demand of the industry to komplexereren solutions – for example in terms of energy data management

By 2017, the currently focused primarily on internal company processes M2M use will be increasingly supplemented by external solutions with customer reference (chart : Vodafone)

In the automotive industry M2M communication for several years is already in use.. One example is the Internet-based service “BMW ConnectedDrive” which the manufacturer had incorporated into its vehicles for the first time in 2001. Since then, the theme of “Connected Car” is becoming increasingly important. The cellular association GSMA expects about that the market until 2018 a global sales volume of more then € 39 billion will have.

currently developing 28 percent of the resident in the area of ​​companies with rising networked cars. Typical uses include emergency call systems or infotainment services that are currently primarily integrated into cars in the upper middle and upper class and are, according to Vodafone in future be found in more and more vehicle classes. This is also shown by the fact that 53 percent said more than half of the surveyed automotive companies, they wanted to offer an M2M solution in two years.

External M2M projects are becoming increasingly important

So far, use 41 percent of the companies surveyed in the context of M2M adoption Barometer 2014, the machine-to-machine communication exclusively for internal projects such as the optimization of labor and logistics processes or devices monitoring in production. The survey shows, however, that M2M will continue to shift from internal processes on the factory floor to new, external products and services. Thus, by 2016, three-quarters of companies also implement external M2M applications with direct customer relation and limited only 25 percent pure on internal projects.

“The results of our M2M adoption Barometer 2014 that the Internet of things established getting stronger. In this case, companies use M2M communication after a successful period of internal application, increasingly for new external products and services and opening up a new markets and revenue streams, “said Erik Brenneis, Director of Machine-to-Machine at Vodafone, the emerging trend.

As the report from last year could predict already, the Asia-Pacific region, the U.S. has now clearly overtaken with a M2M application rate of 27 percent. This is according to the report due to the strong government support in these countries in the areas of Smart Cities and Smart Metering. The United States can be found in the rankings with a third place (17 percent). In second place Europe ranks with a M2M market share of 21 percent. On this continent is Germany with 28 percent clear front-runner.