While Amazon has dominated the consumer-focused Internet of Things market by pushing smart speaker devices — like Alexa and Echo — and other connected home products, Microsoft is focusing on developing IoT for corporate clients.
"Most people, when they think about IoT, they think about smart speakers in their home, or smart connected devices," Sam George, the head of Microsoft's Azure cloud computing service for IoT, told Cheddar Wednesday.
"And what is really happening is that we're seeing this incredible proliferation of devices being deployed by businesses — about 42 billion by 2025 alone — that are powering some really incredible business innovations," he said. "When all of this works really well, consumers just have a better experience, and frankly, don't notice. But the businesses sure notice, because it directly impacts their bottom line."
IDC estimates that spending on IoT technology could reach $1.2 trillion by 2022. To meet that growing demand, Microsoft announced in 2018 that the company would drop $5 billion on developing IoT technology over the next three years.
The company wagers that IoT connections will help companies boost efficiency, streamline production processes, and enable remote monitoring. For goods and services-centered firms, they say, IoT can help track products, customers, and inventory.
George pointed to Unilever, the consumer goods manufacturer behind Dove and Ben & Jerry's, that has used Microsoft's IoT service to build an online, data-powered simulation of its factories and manufacturing plants, which the company hopes to use to draw insights.
Another Microsoft IoT cloud client is supermarket chain Kroger, which is piloting IoT-based connected retail stores. "They're able to stock their shelves better using AI out at the edge. They're able to do dynamic pricing," George explained.
The Microsoft executive also pointed to the potential of IoT applications for agriculture, where the deployment of the technology could help optimize — and ultimately, reduce — the use of pesticides, power, and water. The company also has several clients in the auto industry, including Volkswagen, BMW, and Toyota.
Now Starbucks is using Microsoft's IoT devices to directly collect data from its coffee machines.
Last week, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told Cheddar that Azure is just one part of Microsoft's broader business, but emphasized that streamlining these services is key. "Data is everything. If all we do is create more data silos, they're not really going to be able to get the return on their investment," he said.
"What's really interesting is that when everybody realizes when something is not working, but they never realize when it's working better. And that's one of the reasons why we call this an invisible revolution," George added.
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate what's expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex to a tiny Virginia firm with no experience running correction facilities.
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Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize.
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Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo. For now. But the chain is also apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.
Elon Musk on Monday targeted Apple and OpenAI in an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the iPhone maker and the ChatGPT maker are teaming up to thwart competition in artificial intelligence.
