8 IoT Trends Forecasted for 2017: Expert Insights

Each year, the Internet of Things (IoT) reshapes biotechnology, manufacturing, smart homes, and everyday life. By marrying machine learning, AI, and data analytics, IoT delivers insights that were unimaginable a decade ago. While annual forecasts can be speculative, we turned to seasoned professionals across our IoT verticals to share grounded predictions for the coming year.

1. Smart Technology Will Revolutionize Shopping

“Smart technology will quickly become the backbone of retail—often in ways that customers don’t notice. While high‑profile, interactive experiences will capture headlines, the real transformation lies in implicit smart tech that continuously monitors products, people, and store performance to reduce friction for shoppers,” says Healey Cypher, co‑founder and CEO of OakLabs.

2. Wearables Drive Personalization at New Levels

“Wearables are poised to become pivotal players in the IoT ecosystem, seamlessly integrating with screens and devices to deliver highly personalized experiences. Imagine a gym member wearing a device that automatically configures a treadmill to their content preferences—news in the morning, streaming in the evening—creating a truly tailored workout,” explains Kevin Westcott, media and entertainment sector leader at Deloitte.

3. Consumer‑Facing Industries Will Be Disrupted by IoT

Kevin Meagher, SVP for ROC‑Connect, notes that IoT and connectivity will shift the focus from manufacturing margins to data‑driven customer engagement. Retail giants like Amazon will push further into consumer IoT through Alexa, while traditional retailers must transition from product sales to service‑based models to stay competitive. Insurance firms will also leverage IoT data to recalibrate risk models, a shift that could prevent the same fate that befell retailers who ignored the internet.

4. IoT Accountability Grows

1. Operationalization of IoT—monitoring, managing, and securing infrastructure—will take center stage.
2. Vendors must demonstrate profitable revenue streams from pilots and concepts by year’s end.
3. Core IT will increasingly partner with IoT programs, requiring CIOs to master operational technology or recruit specialists.
4. Boards, especially audit committees, will demand clear evidence of IoT safety and security.
5. New business models, such as Things‑as‑a‑Service, will emerge.

— Bask Iyer, CIO and GM, IoT at VMware

5. Edge Computing Becomes a Major Growth Engine

“Some IoT devices generate so much data that they overwhelm existing networks—cameras, jet engines, and connected cars produce terabits of information. The ‘edge,’ where devices meet the internet, must evolve to process, reduce, and analyze data before it leaves the local network,” says Rowan Trollope, Senior Vice President and GM, IoT and Applications at Cisco.

6. Big Data Analytics Unlocks Big Revenue

Macario Nami, SVP of Strategy at Cisco Jasper, predicts that IoT will produce unprecedented volumes and varieties of data. Distributed analytics models will enable local processing, allowing devices to capture only the most valuable insights for real‑time services, ultimately driving new revenue streams.

7. The IoT Attack Surface Expands

Eric Chiu, co‑founder and president of HyTrust, warns that the proliferation of IP‑enabled devices—from cars to home cameras—creates a widening attack surface. High‑value devices like automotive control systems will adopt stronger encryption and OTA updates, while lower‑value devices will see a gradual shift from manual to automated patching, improving overall security posture.

8. IoT Moves From Hype to Reality

Kevin Walsh, VP Marketing at Bsquare, reflects that the industry is transitioning from speculative hype to measurable outcomes. “IoT predictions will become more modest and data‑driven. Within a year, we’ll focus on real deployments and analytics rather than theoretical possibilities,” he says.

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