Cisco is expanding its reach in the Internet of Things (CSCO)

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A year after acquiring IoT startup Jasper, Cisco made several announcements at Mobile World Congress (MWC) that showcase the platform's diverse set of applications, TechCrunch reports.

The networking hardware giant is expanding its reach in the IoT by adding support for low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) connectivity and forming partnerships in the wearables and connected-car spaces. Since the purchase of Jasper — which connects more than 40 million devices — the platform has become one of Cisco's largest monetization assets thanks to its appeal for a variety of IoT use cases.

Here are more details on the announcements and what they mean for each space:

• The company announced Jasper will now support narrowband IoT LPWAN connectivity. The narrowband IoT protocol is ideal for Industrial IoT (IIoT) applications, such as connected heavy machinery or sensors on an assembly line. These devices typically use less computing power that needs to be transmitted than traditional mobile devices. This is part of a growing body of evidence that suggests, as BI Intelligence noted last month, LPWAN connectivity will remain a popular option for connecting IoT devices. 
• Cisco also struck a partnership with Honda and European connected-car platform Bright Box. This agreement will allow Jasper to power the Bright Box infotainment centers in many of Honda’s European vehicles. Bright Box’s infotainment centers, notably, give users the ability to transmit maintenance information to Honda and search for parking spots based on the vehicle’s GPS coordinates. This adds to the long line of connected car platforms powered by the platform, as TechCrunch notes that Cisco now has around 50 automotive partners that use Jasper for their connected-car platforms. 
• The company also will work with Samsung and health data startup Jupl to launch a wearable device. The device, which will leverage the Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch and software from Jupl, will be geared toward monitoring the health vitals of the elderly and proving emergency alerts to caretakers or family members. Sales growth of traditional wearables have slowed, as demonstrated by Fitbit’s sales, which grew 18% from Q3 to Q4 2016, compared with 40% growth over the same period in 2015. Narrowly tailored wearables, like this one by Jasper and Jupl, could gain traction and help bolster the overall wearables market.

Jasper’s broad appeal, especially compared to other platforms, makes it a particularly valuable asset for Cisco. A large number of IoT platforms on the market are tailored for specific use cases, limiting the scope of their client base. For example, GE’s Predix platform is used in the IIoT, and at this point, it doesn't have many use cases outside of this space. Jasper, on the other hand, can be used to power a diverse set of IoT applications, making it an important monetization asset for the company outside of its core networking hardware business.

Meanwhile, Cisco’s abundant resources make these sorts of platforms attractive to potential clients. Since its acquisition, Jasper has leveraged the financial and R&D resources of one of the world’s largest tech providers. Potential clients — like the ones mentioned above — find this status attractive, namely because these clients expect that Cisco will use these massive resources to enhance the platform on a regular basis. This is similar to what PTC is doing, for example, with its ThingWorx platform, which it bought in 2013.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing rapidly as companies around the world connect thousands of devices every day. But behind those devices, there’s a sector worth hundreds of billions of dollars supporting the IoT. 

Platforms are the glue that holds the IoT together, allowing users to take full advantage of the disruptive potential of connected devices. These platforms allow the IoT to achieve its transformational potential, letting businesses manage devices, analyze data, and automate the workflow.

Peter Newman, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on the evolving IoT platform ecosystem. This report sizes the market and identifies the primary growth drivers that will power the IoT platform space in the next five years. It also profiles many of the top IoT platforms by discussing key trends in the platform industry such as platform consolidation. 

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• The IoT platforms market is set to expand rapidly in the years to come, with current leading platforms expanding and others entering the space.
• We define the key categories into which IoT platforms fall: building block open platforms, closed high-end platforms, and product management platforms.
• We highlight the ways platforms can help companies reach the full five stage potential of the IoT.

In full, the report:

• Explains the coming growth of the IoT platforms.
• Profiles a number of leading platforms.
• Highlights the central role platforms play in the IoT.
• Looks to the future of the IoT platforms market.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

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