Partnerships help developers advance their innovations; security remains top challenge to IoT deployment
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor technology experienced remarkable
double-digit growth in 2018, yet security for IoT continues to be the
greatest challenge for electronic product developers to overcome,
according to new research from Avnet
(Nasdaq: AVT),
a leading global technology solutions provider.
For this latest Product Developer Index, the company surveyed 1,190
members of the 1.3 million strong Hackster.io
and element14
engineering communities to understand where they are focusing their
development efforts, what the challenges are, and what has changed over
the past year.
According to 61 percent of respondents, IoT and sensors are the most
important technologies for products they’re designing today. IoT
products saw the most significant growth in importance, up 14 percent
from last year, followed closely by drones and robotics projects, which
were up 8 percent. More than a quarter of developers (26 percent) also
note that IoT is the most improved technology of 2018, followed closely
by artificial intelligence (AI) at 25 percent.
“Developers have more access to resources and communities like ours, and
this is helping accelerate the pace of bringing new products to market,”
said Dayna Badhorn, vice president of emerging business, Avnet. “IoT and
sensors are leading the way in importance and impacting the design
process. But survey respondents also noted these are the most underrated
technologies when it comes to innovation, signaling that IoT and sensors
will have an even greater impact as developers engage partners to help
them take their ideas from prototype to production.”
Challenges Persist
Despite the robust growth of innovation
last year, developers are facing greater challenges in certain areas,
the research revealed. According to respondents, the most difficult
elements of product development are identifying the best technology to
use in their designs (26 percent), as well as obtaining product
certification (22 percent). The most challenging aspect of bringing
products to market is obtaining financing for development (34 percent).
Developers believe that security remains the biggest technological
hurdle in IoT deployment (81 percent). Time is the greatest hindrance,
respondents say overwhelmingly. They also say that cost is the biggest
challenge in moving from design to manufacturing.
However, developers saw some improvements over the past year. When asked
what phase of product development has become easier, 58 percent pointed
to developing and testing prototypes, which is up 17 percent from the
year prior. Developers also found improvements in the process of
identifying the best source for technologies (up 9 percent) and scaling
production (up 16 percent).
Partner Support Abounds
The survey also revealed interesting
trends toward finding new partnerships and collaborations for
development. More than a third (37 percent) of developers have sought a
partner to help them bring a product to market. When looking for that
potential partner, several qualities stand out. Developers said that
they lean toward those who have a strong track record in their industry
(49 percent), can offer strong technical support (43 percent), or are a
result of a personal relationship or recommendation (39 percent).
An overwhelming majority of developers (76 percent) prefer having the
flexibility to select and choose vendors based on market needs and
expertise.
“These trends suggest that having one partner who can offer critical
design, development and manufacturing capabilities can be invaluable to
the go-to-market strategy,” Badhorn added. “At this time of rapid
innovation, developers seek the best of both worlds -- a comprehensive
ecosystem that allows for the flexibility and options developers desire,
with the streamlined support and cost benefit of a single partner.”
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About Avnet
Avnet is a global technology solutions provider
with an extensive ecosystem delivering design, product, marketing and
supply chain expertise for customers at every stage of the product
lifecycle. We transform ideas into intelligent solutions, reducing the
time, cost and complexities of bringing products to market. For nearly a
century, Avnet has helped its customers and suppliers around the world
realize the transformative possibilities of technology. Learn more about
Avnet at www.avnet.com.
Avnet
Maureen O’Leary, 480-643-7499
Maureen.OLeary@avnet.com
or
Brodeur Partners, for Avnet
Jamie Ernst, 480-308-0286
jernst@brodeur.com