How does this apply to you and your customers?

The connected smart products market has grown rapidly and will continue to do so. Customers are more interested in smart devices and creating smart homes and businesses than ever before. Even those who aren't specifically looking to establish a more complete smart building find many smart products enticing, or even necessary, on their own. So, if you don't already offer and install these types of items for your customers, it's certainly time to look into adding a good selection of them to your product and service offerings.

What types of IoT products can I offer?

The list of consumer products that can connect to the internet, have wireless connectivity and have become a part of the Internet of Things has grown immensely in recent years, and this trend is sure to continue in the future. Products in almost every category can be connected and considered "smart" or an IoT device. Those include:

Video surveillance – Within this category, some of the most common and immediately obvious products include IP cameras, network video recorders, and network-attached storage systems. Being connected to a network allows these devices to work together so that users can view video and control certain aspects of the system remotely from a smartphone, tablet or PC.

Access control – Connected products in access control include control panels, access control keypads, biometric readers and more. When connected to each other and a network, these devices work in tandem to allow entry to the right individuals into a secured area or building. Some of these devices may also identify people by facial recognition or fingerprint identification.

Alarms and detectors – Intrusion keypads and detectors can be connected wirelessly on the same Wi-Fi network to work together in monitoring whether doors are open or closed, if a window's glass has been broken and more.

Environmental Sensors - Whether for a laboratory, a commercial kitchen or a single-family home, water detection probes and leak detectors keep track of environmental factors that could affect people's safety or cause property damage.

Life safety devices – Wireless panic buttons can connect wirelessly to security systems, allowing users to send an emergency notification to the system.

Smart home – Products considered to be in the smart home category are the most common and obvious items that connect to and are related to the IoT. Smart thermostats, cameras and video recorders, doorbells, outdoor lighting and wireless speakers can be controlled remotely from a smartphone's app.

Conclusion

As you can imagine, the list of products, objects and devices that connect to the IoT is vast, and it will only continue to grow. As average consumers, we will all continue to get used to having more connected products in our lives. Connected products that were initially considered to be luxuries will eventually be considered necessities. This, of course, also means that the list of products and smart objects you'll have to offer to your customers will grow too, which is ultimately a great thing for you and your business.