Global IoT device connections to reach 11.7 billion in 2020

IoT Analytics, a provider of market insights and competitive intelligence for the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0, projects that there will be 11.7 billion connected IoT devices by the end of 2020.

Commenting on the rapid increase in IoT device connections, Knud Lasse Lueth, CEO at IoT Analytics explains, “IoT innovations will from now on dominate the connected device landscape. Despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the market for Internet of Things continues to grow. In 2020, for the first time, there are more connected IoT devices such as connected cars or smart home devices than there are non-IoT devices such as smartphones or laptops.  Of the 21.7 billion active connected devices worldwide, 11.7 billion, or 54%, will be IoT devices at the end of 2020.”

Active cellular IoT connections (based on the 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, or licensed LPWA standard) have grown 46% in the last 5 years and are continuing to enjoy strong momentum.

Low-power wide area network technologies (LPWA) are currently the fastest growing IoT connectivity technology. In 2015 there were roughly 10 million global connections, in 2020 there are now 423 million.