Microsoft to invest $5B in IoT
The goal of the investment, says the company, is “to give every customer the ability to transform their businesses, and the world at large, with connected solutions.”
“It’s well understood that IoT solutions can create operational efficiencies, but we know the true impact extends well beyond that into our daily lives,” says Julia White, CVP Microsoft Azure. “Our customers are 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.”
While the company is already invested in the space, it now plans to dedicate even more resources to research and innovation in IoT and “what is ultimately evolving to be the new intelligent edge.” With its IoT platform spanning cloud, OS, and devices, the company sees itself as uniquely positioned to “simplify the IoT journey” for any customer – regardless of size, technical expertise, budget, industry or other factors.
“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,” says White. “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.”
Microsoft’s increased investment will support continued innovation in its technology platform, as well as supporting programs. The company will also continue research and development in key areas, including securing IoT, creating development tools and intelligent services for IoT and the edge, and investments designed to help grow its partner ecosystem. Microsoft customers and partners, says the company, can expect new products and services, offerings, resources and programs.
“Today’s announcement is big – for us and for the future of IoT and the intelligent edge,” says White. “It positions us to support customers as they develop new and increasingly sophisticated IoT solutions, which few could have imagined just a few years ago.”
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