I have a confession to make: I bought my garage-door opener for its internet of things (IoT) capabilities.
It supports If This Then That (IFTTT) recipes, so I’ve connected it to my other smart-home devices to automate certain actions and make others more convenient: Turn on the lights when I get home, turn off the heat when I leave and check if I’ve accidentally left the garage door open when I tell Alexa “goodnight.” (Full disclosure: We have integrations with both IFTTT and Google, as well as a number of other technology platforms.) Granted, I’m a developer, so I probably tinker with IoT interactions more than your average person. In other words, IoT capabilities in a garage-door opener were surprisingly important to me. But increasingly, I’m not alone. Similar features are becoming important to non-developers.
Here’s how I know: Back in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, I used to get calls from family and friends asking me to help troubleshoot computer issues. Questions like “Can you help me speed up my computer’s performance?” or “How much RAM do I need?” I don't get those calls anymore. I still get calls, but the dialogue has completely changed. The same people are asking, “How can I turn off my heat while I’m on vacation?” “What program gives me more flexibility with my smart home?” or “Which connected light bulb should I get?”
There’s a good reason for that increase in IoT-related inquiries. More like 7 billion good reasons. According to findings from IoT Analytics, that’s the number of active, connected IoT devices in the world today, and that number is expected to triple to 21 billion by 2025. With all that IoT variety in the world, no two people have the same setup and people often use the same devices in very different ways. Regardless of those variables, every IoT call I receive has a common theme: People want ultra-personalization from their IoT devices. And in order to meet those expectations, IoT platforms need to be easily accessible and open to interactions with other devices.
However, end users are also more concerned about IoT privacy and security than ever before. According to a recent global survey by The Internet Society, more than 60% of respondents found connected devices to be “creepy” due to the data they collect. Such data is essential to providing the ultra-personalized experiences many users want, but people are understandably concerned about how that data is used and shared. This has created a paradox of sorts for IoT developers and platform providers. They’re all under immense pressure to improve the versatility and interoperability of IoT platforms while protecting the data that powers those ultra-personalized experiences. This paradox made a cameo in recent headlines. At Google I/O 2019, Google announced that it would be reworking its Works With Nest program, which would greatly impact the range of devices supported by the company’s IoT platform. Google has since walked back that announcement, which goes to show how difficult these decisions can be for major players in the industry.
Of course, data security and openness shouldn’t be mutually exclusive. The ideal scenario for consumers involves the best of both worlds, and IoT developers, platform providers and third-party device makers will need to work in tandem to make that happen. For the platform providers, the large enterprises creating the foundations for each IoT ecosystem, the main goal should be focusing on the core tenets of their platforms, including security, reliability and accessibility. That shouldn’t be a significant hurdle, as security is inherently baked into the product development process for many enterprises. Accessibility into these platforms will be a key factor of success or failure. Platform providers can do everything in their power to ensure products are secure, but the only way to personalize the IoT experience for every user is to allow developers and third-party devices into that ecosystem. That’s where things get scary for platform providers: They’re understandably hesitant to open those environments up completely.
Perhaps the solution revolves around greater transparency — both from the platform providers and the developers for each platform. Enterprises need to be perfectly clear and transparent about what they’re doing with user data, and they also need to be clear and transparent about what is and isn’t allowed within their ecosystem. Likewise, developers need to be transparent about what their services are doing with personal information. In order for that to work, it will take a collaborative commitment from every IoT platform provider, every IoT device manufacturer and every IoT developer. Otherwise, one weak link could affect the entire platform, the entire development community and the entire user base for that ecosystem.
It seems like a huge endeavor, but it begins with a simple three-step commitment on behalf of the enterprises that create IoT platforms:
1. Build the basics into your platform: Security, accessibility and scalability are essential.
2. Engage with developers with as much energy as you engage with your customers.
3. Be ready to adjust your platform regularly by listening to developers.
Creating platforms that enable ultra-personalization for users is not easy, but I’m convinced that it’s the key to figuring out this pesky IoT paradox and reaping the benefits of a new digital industry. Building up trust and cooperation between platform providers and developers can pave the way for that ultimate combination of security and openness.
