2019 Embedded Markets Study Highlights Emerging Technologies and C/C++ Dominance

According to the 2019 Embedded Market Study, published by EE Times and Embedded, emerging fields such as IoT, embedded vision, and machine learning are gaining traction in the development community—yet C and C++ still dominate the programming landscape for embedded developers.

This annual survey, now in its 20‑plus‑year run, delivers a comprehensive view of embedded development across the Americas, APAC, and EMEA. It covers everything from current application priorities and design environments to the selection of core hardware components and prevailing design practices. Below we highlight the study’s most salient findings.

Half of the respondents already regard IoT as a critical focus area. Looking ahead, more than 65 % anticipate dedicating one or more upcoming projects to IoT (Figure 1).

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Figure 1. (Source: 2019 Embedded Market Study)

Despite connectivity becoming a foundational design prerequisite, security practices are uneven (Figure 2). Software‑only security approaches tend to introduce more vulnerabilities than hardware‑based solutions. Roughly 26 % of current designs rely solely on software security, and a concerning 20 % lack any security features. The study did not probe the specific application contexts of these designs, leaving the true risk profile unclear. Regardless, every embedded system faces a range of threat vectors beyond connectivity‑related risks.

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Figure 2. Security measured employed in current designs – a new question in 2019. (Source: 2019 Embedded Market Study)

Another noteworthy trend is the growing interest in machine‑learning capabilities. Currently, 32 % of respondents employ machine‑learning techniques, while 55 % are evaluating their adoption—an even higher 68 % among EMEA participants (Figure 3).

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Figure 3. Advanced technologies in current use or under consideration. (Source: 2019 Embedded Market Study)

Unlike broader programming‑language surveys—where Python, Java, and JavaScript often dominate—this study confirms that C and C++ remain the premier languages for embedded development (Figure 4).

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Figure 4. Programming language usage. (Source: 2019 Embedded Market Study)

Developers often pair C/C++ with assembly for performance‑critical loops, and with Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW for modeling and algorithm prototyping. Python’s surge in AI development could gradually tilt the balance, especially as edge computing and AI‑driven methods gain traction. At present, however, C and C++ remain the languages of choice.

Detailed design remains the most time‑intensive phase, consuming about 30 % of total design effort—a figure that has held steady over recent years (Figure 5). A new question in 2019 examined how much time is devoted to risk assessment for security or privacy, hinting at the need for higher‑level strategies to embed security and privacy from the outset.

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Figure 5. Time spent on various design stages. (Source: 2019 Embedded Market Study)

Embedded Linux and FreeRTOS maintain their leadership over other operating systems in the field. However, regional variations are evident in projected OS adoption over the next 12 months, especially concerning Android (Figure 6).

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Figure 6. Regional breakout of leading operating systems under consideration. (Source: 2019 Embedded Market Study)

In addition to the topics covered above, the report delves into the present and future roles of microprocessors, FPGAs, hardware IP reuse, design techniques, system‑level tools, and project/version control practices.

The full 99‑page 2019 Embedded Market Study is now available for download.