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Things that matter: How brands are leveraging IoT

IoT Development
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The Internet of Things is changing the way we live and work. What used to be a futuristic concept is now an integral part of our everyday lives. Brands are getting in on the action too! Since it provides massive scope for brands to make their products more user-friendly, collect data about their customers, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Connectedness and smart applications are often discussed in the context of consumer delight: gadgetry, smart homes, smart appliances, etc. In terms of business results, the benefits of connected systems include cost savings, efficiencies, and new revenue. Measurable proof of IoT transforming consumer spaces and impacting the bottom line not only exists—it’s stacking up and drawing eyeballs from a broader range of industries.

Hence, it should come as no surprise to see a multitude of brands jumping onto this IoT bandwagon, and why shouldn’t they? It helps change consumer perception, enhances brand efficiency, promotes innovation and experimentation among consumers, and helps establish preferences. So, let’s take a look at three brands that are evolving with the IoT revolution.

Brands winning the Internet of things game

Philips

If one of the brand’s bestsellers is lightbulbs, there are bound to be several eureka moments at the minimum.

In this case, Philips hit the jackpot with the launch of its Hue Smart LED lights. Why? It allowed consumers to incorporate a personalized mood lighting system in their homes, controlled from their phones. So yes, my friends, now your home can also resemble one of those nightclubs in Ibiza or quaint little cafes with intimate lighting. 

Coming to the innovative tech aspect, which is extremely interesting, to say the least. There is a unique API (application programming interface) at its base that allows Hue Smart Lights to collaborate with other products and services on the Internet. 

For example, it syncs beautifully with the Disney StoryLight app, wherein the lighting changes with the narration of the interactive stories. Additionally, there is a partnership with Netflix too, where your room’s ambient lighting changes to reflect the titles you are watching. That’s so cool, isn’t it?

That’s not all, we do live in an era of virtual assistants, so it’s expected that you can control Philips Hue Smart Lights with Google Assistant and Alexa. 

With smart bulbs being one of the most popular smart home devices, it’s suffice to say that Philips hit the home run with the launch of this convenient entry-level smart device. 

Hennes & Mauritz (H&M)

H&M is well known for being one of the most popular affordable fashion brands across the globe. It is also well known for being innovative ahead of its time. The most prominent example of this is their sustainability initiatives that have been running since 2013. When almost no other brands were even thinking about sustainability, H&M was already implementing programs.

Keeping the same innovative spirit, H&M came out firing with its latest initiative, a clothes rental service running on Blockchain-based IoT. 

With the launch of this program, H&M wanted to explore the massive potential of clothes rentals while promoting a circular and digitized fashion system. Yet another feather in H&M’s sustainability cap. Circular fashion refers to a system wherein clothes can be recycled, reused, or returned to the Earth (in the form of being compostable or biodegradable). 

This Blockchain-based IoT technology means that consumers can book, pay, and return garments with a single click. Once the garments are returned to the store, they are cleaned and prepared for other consumers to rent.

This IoT technology also enhances the consumer experience by allowing them to add stories and memories to the rented garments and upload their looks. 

It looks like H&M got two birds with one stone by expanding its sustainability culture and enhancing user experience. And this connection with sustainability bodes well for the brand since at least 42% of millennials choose brands based on the positive impact their products and services have on the environment.

Tesla

When talking about innovations amongst brands, how could Tesla not make the cut? When you think about Tesla, probably the eccentric founder and the self-driving cars come to mind, and why not, both have attracted quite a lot of following on social media. 

In this instance, I am talking about self-driving cars, but not how you may have assumed. By now, we all know that these self-driving cars use IoT and AI to function. Keeping that in mind, these cars are essentially ‘things’ from an Internet of things standpoint. Musk had alluded to this aspect when he spoke about how these cars were a network, and when one car learned something, they all learned it.

But now, I will be talking about something even more remarkable that Tesla did using the Internet of things. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the USA had recently published a recall statement for Tesla. Tesla’s response? An ‘over the air’ software update, akin to smartphones receiving the latest updates. Mind you, this fix wasn't just carried out for one vehicle, but for 29,222 vehicles.

This move by Tesla can prove to be a revolutionary game-changer since something like this hasn't been done before. And which wouldn't have been possible without the Internet of things. 

This could very well be the greatest use-case of IoT, far exceeding the likes of personal monitoring and connected offices and homes. 

IoT’s scope for the future

The Internet of things is massively transforming the world we live in, and it's expected to do more of the same in the future as well. As IoT is helping brands enhance productivity, efficiency, and security, it is bound to help usher in a golden era for the brands.

This transformation is occurring through 2 methods — the transformation of internal operations and the transformation of entire industries. 

We know all about implementing IoT for internal transformations; just ask Under Armour. We helped them develop the UA Healthbox, which eventually garnered eight awards at the Consumer Electronics Show, 2016. If you are looking for a similar impact for your organization, hit us up

IoT is the Answer. IoT — The game-changer for you

Varun Mehta

Content Marketer

Between reading voraciously and writing for tech, it’s a marvel that Varun manages to find time to support Manchester United, savor single malts, and unwind to Pink Floyd!

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