IBM announced that the company is investing $3 billion over the next four years to establish a new Internet of Things (IoT) unit with the aim of developing a cloud-based open platform designed to help clients and ecosystem partners build IoT solutions. IBM has already launched a number of initiatives in the IoT space, including the IBM IoT Cloud Open Platform - new analytics for vertical industry IoT solutions; the IBM Bluemix IoT Zone - platform-as-a-service that enables developers to easily integrate IoT data into cloud-based development and deployment of IoT apps; and the IBM IoT Ecosystem - expansion of its ecosystem of IoT partners from silicon and device manufacturers to industry-oriented solution providers.
On the enterprise front, IBM is working with a broad range of global clients, including Continental, with whom the company is developing fully-connected mobile vehicle solutions for car manufacturers; Cummins, for collecting and transmitting real-time performance data of its engines for predictive analysis and SilverHook Powerboats, for analyzing telematic and biometric data from its boats and pilots for real-time racing decisions.
IBM is has also been working with government organizations and enterprises in developing smart cities initiatives around the world, including Smarter Buildings, Smarter Public Safety, Smarter Transportation and Smarter Water.
Our knowledge of the world grows with every connected sensor and device, but too often we are not acting on it, even when we know we can ensure a better result. IBM will enable clients and industry partners apply IoT data to build solutions based on an open platform. This is a major focus of investment for IBM because it's a rich and broad-based opportunity where innovation matters.
