How to Make an IoT App: Benefits, Tech Aspects, & Detailed Guide

The Internet of Things has already entered our everyday lives. The term refers to the network of interconnected devices that exchange information between them without human participation. Such solutions can use any type of interconnection method, including cable and wireless technologies. The process behind the connection of such devices is called the machine-to-machine (M2M) principle.

Before we talk about how to make an IoT app, you need to first understand how such a solution can benefit your business.

Below is the list of some areas where IoT app development can deliver the highest value:

• Smart homes – automated house management systems are being actively developed. Today, you can find IoT solutions for security management, water consumption, electricity, heating systems, and other solutions used in smart homes.

• Healthcare – thanks to IoT, the healthcare industry has progressed a lot. Various devices and wearables are used to track the health of patients, including heart rate, glucose levels, physical activity, and much more.

• Automotive – Apple Play and other technologies already allow you to connect your smartphone to a car and control some of its features. The future offers to bring even more exciting capabilities, such as parking a car remotely, summoning it, and so on.

• Logistics – this is an industry that could benefit from IoT devices the most. The use of RFID tags, GPS trackers, antennas, and chips can help track and monitor the location and movement of the transported goods.

• Retail – Amazon Go is the brightest example of what IoT can do in the retail industry. Automatic checkout allows to reduce costs and improve customer experience. In the future, IoT solutions will help track visitor’s actions, improve their experience, and make offline retail locations more efficient.

• Smart farming – this industry is often overlooked when it comes to IoT development. Such devices can be used in agriculture to monitor various conditions, such as air temperature, humidity, soil quality, detect soil contaminations, automate irrigation systems, and much more.

These are just a few areas that can benefit from the Internet of Things app development.

BENEFITS OF THE IOT APP DEVELOPMENT

Let’s start with some benefits Internet of Things applications can bring to your business.

• Cost efficiency
• Customer behavior insights
• Enhanced productivity
• Better customer experience
• Better work safety

Thus, employees of such companies can enjoy a safer working environment.

IOT APP DEVELOPMENT: ARCHITECTURE BASICS

This section of the article highlights how to make an IoT app from a technical point of view and what components make up the Internet of Things.

Four main components for the Internet of Things system:

• Hardware

Hardware means the use of low-energy sensors that connect to the internet and interact over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. You can either create a device that is specific to your needs or use one of the existing solutions. Mobile devices used to control the Internet of Things system also relate to hardware solutions.

• Software

Software is used to manage and control all connected IoT devices. Such software can be cloud-based, web or mobile. Also, depending on the type of controllers, you might also need to develop dedicated software for IoT devices.

• Cloud

Cloud is the most important part of the IoT system. Cloud stores all the data and performs processing and analysis operations. Interconnected devices send data to the cloud and the cloud is responsible for the connectivity between devices.

• Network

The network allows for data exchange between sensors and controlling devices, such as smartphones and tablets. The network links all the devices, hence the name interconnected devices.

HOW TO MAKE AN IOT APP: 5 KEY STEPS

This part of the article will navigate you through the process of creating an IoT system. It will help you understand how to make an IoT app and turn it into a seamless process.

Identify a problem

If you are at the crossroads of where to start, begin with identifying the problem that you want to solve with the help of an IoT system.

You can either create a solution for internal needs or develop an application and turn it into a startup and application to be used outside your company. If you choose the latter option, you will also need to make market research to identify your competition, identify your target audience and its needs.

Choose a platform

As you already know, there are many IoT app development platforms that you can use to build your own solution.

Aside from the tools mentioned above, you can also choose to develop an IoT application with the help of Android Things or HomeKit. Both of the platforms try to solve the problem of hardware inconsistency, allowing to connect devices from different manufacturers into a unified system.

Select the hardware

You can either create your own hardware for your IoT solution or use one of the existing ones.

If the latter is the option, you might need to choose microcontrollers and microprocessors. Possible options include Arduino Uno, Mega, ESP8266 or ESP32 boards, STM32F boards, Raspberry Pi, Beagle bone, etc.

Choose an IoT application development company

Finding a company that nailed IoT development is not an easy task. The vendor you choose needs to be able to help you build an IoT system and launch it to the market.

The Internet of Things is the technology that is going to grow in the following years. The implementation of such solutions can disrupt a number of industries, including automotive, smart homes, healthcare, logistics, and much more.

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