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// M&A, Strategies, Alliances //
The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) and the Manufacturing Enterprise Solution Association (MESA) have signed an MoU to co-develop IIoT designs and best practices.
Qualcomm has joined the IoT Cybersecurity Alliance, founded earlier this year, joining AT&T, IBM, Nokia, Palo Alto Networks, Symantec, and Trustonic.
// Forecasts, Surveys. Reports, and Blue-Sky Thinking //
Navigant says the global revenue for Advanced Intelligent Transportation Systems (AITS) will hit $17.5bn by 2026, growing from $6.6bn in 2017.
The global IoT in Oil and Gas market is expected to hit $30.57bn in 2026, growing at a CAGR of 24.65%, according to BIS Research.
// Hardware //
Antenova has launched Robusta, a new very-low-profile GNSS antenna that works on all surfaces, including metal. The SR4G031 is aimed at smart city and asset tracking apps.
Huawei has launched the Kirin 970, a mobile SoC with an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for on-board AI-based workloads, which will debut in its Mate 10 smartphone.
// Software //
Apple and Accenture have announced a partnership to better integrate Accenture’s business software with iOS, with part of the deal focused on better access to IoT data streams.
// Networks, Protocols, & Wireless //
Kerlink and Stream Technologies have announced an integration that combines Kerlink’s gateways with Stream’s IoT-X PaaS for straightforward connectivity.
Compass Intelligence reports that AT&T has 33.7m IoT/M2M connections, with Verizon on 18.2m, and Sprint on 13.2m. T-Mobile USA has 4.6m, down some 22% in a quarter.
// Big Data, Cloud, AI, and Machine-Learning //
GE is refocusing its Predix PaaS, following attempts to cut costs and maximize revenues. GE has spent the past two months working on problems in the Predix software.
Microsoft and Amazon have announced that they are integrating Alex and Cortana, their AI-based digital assistants, in a move to let users access the more unique aspects of the systems.
Oracle has added AI and VR applications to its Oracle IoT Cloud offerings, with new Digital Twin and Digital Thread supply chain management (SCM) SaaS and PaaS products.
Mitsubishi Electric is one of the first customers for Oracle’s expanded IoT Cloud platform, using it to create the FA-IT Open Platform for factory automation.
// Smart Homes and Buildings //
Nest has launched the Thermostat E, a redesign of its original unit that intends to better blend into the background, and also cost less – at $169, rather than $249.
Samsung-owned Harman now sells smart home speakers housing Alexa, Cortana, and Google Assistant. Persistent rumors of a Bixby speaker might add another to this list.
CNET has a roundup of all the Google Assistant smart home launches from the IFA 2017 tradeshow, with a new Sony speaker being a notable new entry to that market.
// Wearables //
Google has launched ARCore, its Augmented Reality developer kit that has been designed to avoid the hardware-specific constraints that hampered the adoption of Tango.
Asus and Microsoft have launched the Windows Mixed Realty headset at IFA, following on from Dell’s recent launch of its Mixed Reality Visor – priced at $550 and $350 respectively.
Samsung has refreshed its wearables line, unveiling the new Gear Sport, Gear Fit2 Pro, and the Gear IconX, aimed at fitness-conscious buyers.
Apple and Xiaomi lead the wearables market, which has grown 10.3% year on year, according to IDC, which the firm says is on its way to being a mass market product.
// Industrial & Manufacturing //
QNAP has shown off a demonstration of its QIoT Suite Lite system, in a connected farming project in Taiwan, which uses its QNAP NAS boxes as edge-devices, paired with its cloud platform, to collect and analyze sensor data from the farm’s sensors.
Schneider Electric has been signed to provide its IoT process automation systems to the Dangote oil refinery in Nigeria, using its EcoStruxure platform and safety tools.
// Retail, Marketing, & Supply Chain //
Surgere has unveiled Robi, a roaming autonomous warehouse robot that has been designed to scan RFID tags inside a supply chain, to better track items inside warehouses.
Nippon Yusen KK (NYK) will trial a remotely controlled container ship between the US and Japan, with the Pacific crossing being the longest distance and largest autonomous ship.
// Automotive //
CalAmp’s LoJack has released its latest construction equipment theft report, where LoJack’s vehicle tracking system managed to recover $10m of stolen kit – $186m since 2000.
CalAmp has launched its new Telematics Suite, aimed at anyone looking for real-time data for their deployed assets. It combines a number of CalAmp’s products and services.
Deutsche Telekom and Mojio have partnered to launch the CarConnect OBD telematics adapter in Germany, with a T-Systems version for business customers.
Qualcomm has unveiled the 9150 C-V2X chipset, which will be testing next year, and appearing in vehicles before 2019. It is intended to act as a complete V2X system.
Samsung has acquired a self-driving car testing permit in California, following on from its May testing in South Korea – building on its acquisition of auto OEM Harman Kardon.
Cummins has launched an all-electric semi truck, ahead of Tesla’s expected launch. Called the Aeos, the concept has a 140kWh battery pack, weighs 18,000lbs, and tows 22-tons.
// Security //
ARM has issued a patch for its mbed TLS library, after a vulnerability was discovered that allows one to bypass the certificate authentication process in a man-in-the-middle attack.
// Smart Cities //
u-blox has announced that its SARA-N2 modules are powering two NB-IoT smart city lighting projects, a live system from Flashnet’s inteliLight in Romania, and a pilot in Patras, Greece, with OTE (Telekom).
// Smart Grid & Utility //
NRG Netherlands has fired up the first thorium-powered molten-salt nuclear reactor in decades, a potential cheaper, less dangerous, and more globally viable reactor design.
// Health //
Aetna is planning on selling discounted Apple Watches, or even giving them to its health insurance customers, as a way to lower its risk for its 23m members.
// And last but not least //
Burger King has launched WhopperCoin, a cryptocurrency that it is using as a loyalty rewards scheme in Russia, where 1,700 WhopperCoin will buy you a new Whopper.