Top 5 IoT Trends to Watch Out for in 2025
2024 was a defining year for the Internet of Things (IoT). By the end of 2024, we had more than 18.8 billion connected devices across the globe. These devices evolved into problem-solvers; streamlining operations, improving efficiency, and introducing capabilities that seemed out of reach just a few years ago.
In manufacturing, IoT sensors enabled predictive maintenance, allowing machines to signal when repairs were needed before a breakdown could occur, saving millions in downtime and repair costs. Healthcare witnessed a revolution with real-time patient monitoring, empowering doctors to catch warning signs early and provide better, data-driven care. Retailers used IoT to track inventory, optimize supply chains, and enhance customer experiences, while cities began rolling out smarter infrastructures to address traffic congestion and energy consumption.
Behind these advancements were critical technology enablers. Edge computing gave IoT devices the ability to process data locally, making faster decisions without relying solely on the cloud. Artificial intelligence (AI) enabled IoT devices to become more intelligent, learning user habits, predicting needs, and adapting to changing conditions.
Meanwhile, the expansion of 5G and improved Wi-Fi technology made it possible to connect devices in previously unreachable locations, such as remote farms and deep industrial sites. Advances in chips, sensors, and battery technology further pushed the boundaries, allowing devices to perform complex tasks with greater efficiency and longevity.
However, this explosive growth was not without some challenges. The rise in connected devices brought pressing concerns: safeguarding user data, ensuring interoperability among different devices, and finding ways to handle the tidal wave of information these devices generate. Addressing these issues demanded innovation, collaboration, and new standards, and while progress was made, the journey is far from over.
IoT Tomorrow: Predictions for 2025
In 2025, the momentum only builds. What breakthroughs and shifts lie ahead? What trends will define IoT this year? Let’s explore the possibilities and challenges shaping the next phase of this technology revolution.
1. AI Integration in IoT will Explode
In 2025, AI is expected to transform IoT devices into truly intuitive systems capable of anticipating and adapting to user needs. At the recently concluded 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), we saw significant progress in this direction. Synaptics unveiled its Astra IoT platform, a scalable embedded computing solution designed for multimodal Edge AI workloads.
This platform simplifies Edge AI application development across consumer, enterprise, and industrial markets by combining purpose-built hardware with open-source software. Their focus was on privacy-conscious solutions that process sensitive data locally, boosting security, reducing latency, and enabling real-time decision-making. Here is a video Interview with Synaptics at CES 2025.
Silicon Labs also made a great impression at CES 2025 with its innovations in wireless connectivity and its integration with AI tools. Their next-generation SoCs are designed to support AI-driven IoT devices that can make autonomous decisions while ensuring interoperability across protocols. These developments reflect how silicon vendors are creating the building blocks for smarter, more capable IoT devices.
Looking ahead to the 2025 Embedded World Conference, we’re expecting to see even more exciting progress. It’s been about two years since silicon vendors started focusing on AI chips, and now there are more of them available. At the event, we’ll likely see these chips being tested and showcased, giving us a clear idea of how far the technology has come and what it can do for AI-powered IoT devices.
2. Integration of IoT Sensing and CCTV Technologies
Looking ahead to 2025, IoT sensors, which monitor environmental factors such as temperature, light, or pressure, and smart cameras are set to work together more closely than ever, reshaping how we think about safety and efficiency in smart cities. Cameras powered by AI are expected to do much more than just record.
They will analyze situations in real time, detecting issues like traffic jams or suspicious activities such as loitering in restricted areas and triggering automated responses and alerts. For instance, they could streamline traffic management or enhance public safety by immediately notifying authorities of potential incidents.
IoT sensors are also advancing with onboard image processing capabilities. This allows them to capture and process visual data, sending only precise and streamlined information over low-power networks. This reduces network congestion while improving the speed and accuracy of communication. Together, these technologies promise smarter, more responsive smart cities where systems operate in unison to enhance situational awareness and overall functionality.
3. Network Consolidation and Hybrid Connectivity
In 2025, organizations looking to implement smart solutions will face a more streamlined approach to connectivity. The wide variety of network technologies and devices that have cluttered the market will start to consolidate, making it easier to adopt and scale IoT systems.
Fragmentation in network options has been a challenge for businesses, but recent developments, such as AT&T decommissioning its NB-IoT network in the US in favor of newer technologies like LTE-M, signal a shift towards more unified solutions. However, NB-IoT will continue to play a crucial role in certain regions, such as the UK, where it may work alongside other networks.
Additionally, LoRaWAN technology will remain a flexible and cost-effective option for smart city projects and smart buildings, where local control and service delivery are critical. In 2025, we can expect an acceleration of collaboration among managed LoRaWAN service providers, bringing about better integration and network sharing.
Hybrid connectivity models will also gain traction, combining the strengths of different network types, like cellular and LoRaWAN, to deliver reliable and consistent performance, reducing risks and enabling broader adoption of smart solutions.
4. Transition to Zero-trust Security
Businesses are increasingly integrating IT and IoT networks to improve operations and gain valuable insights. As this convergence expands, a unified security approach becomes crucial, with a growing emphasis on applying zero-trust principles across all networks.
Zero Trust frameworks require a shift towards continuous verification of every device and user. While the core principles of Zero Trust should be consistent, implementation will likely need to be tailored to the specific requirements and constraints of each environment. Although the initial implementation of Zero Trust can involve investment, it offers the potential for long-term efficiencies and cost savings by reducing security risks and improving overall security posture.
There will also be a growing emphasis on securing IoT devices from the outset. While IoT security has been a widely discussed priority for years, the rapid pace of IoT adoption often left security playing catch-up to innovation. In many cases, tight development timelines and cost constraints led to security being treated as an afterthought.
However, with the increasing sophistication of cyber threats and the rising cost of breaches, businesses are now recognizing that robust security must be embedded throughout the device development process, from concept to deployment. This shift reflects a maturing perspective on the balance between innovation and risk management.
Looking ahead, regular risk assessments and network penetration testing will become increasingly routine as organizations seek to maintain a clear and accurate understanding of their security posture. This ongoing evaluation will be essential in ensuring that businesses can minimize vulnerabilities and reduce exposure.
5. Service Evolution
As IoT adoption grows, businesses often face challenges in maintaining consistent services and use cases across diverse applications. These challenges stem from solutions that remain siloed, lack scalability, or fail to integrate effectively.
However, in 2025, we expect to see a shift from fragmented IoT services to more unified services that prioritize consistency, scalability, and interoperability across industries. This transformation will be driven by the development of interoperable connectivity platforms, unified device management systems, and comprehensive security frameworks.
To illustrate the difference, here’s a comparison between fragmented and unified IoT services:
| FRAGMENTED IOT SERVICES | UNIFIED IOT SERVICES |
|---|---|
|
Solutions are isolated, with limited scalability across devices |
Interoperable platforms enable seamless scaling across industries |
|
Data is siloed and fragmented, reducing actionable insights |
Unified systems aggregate data for advanced BI, analytics, and AI/ML |
|
Devices are managed individually, creating inefficiencies |
Centralized platforms streamline unified management of all devices |
|
Ad-hoc security measures; inconsistent enforcement |
Comprehensive frameworks enforce policies consistently across all IoT |
|
Difficult to demonstrate ROI due to inefficiencies |
Clear ROI from consistent, reliable, and efficient services |
These advancements will help organizations reduce duplication of efforts, improve security, and enhance operational efficiency. Managing IoT ecosystems will become simpler, more secure, and more effective, enabling businesses to deliver consistent service quality while demonstrating clear cost-to-benefit ratios.
In Summary
The trends we’ve explored—AI in IoT, the integration of IoT and CCTV technologies, the consolidation of networks, security, and the maturation of service delivery are all interconnected developments that will drive the next transformation phase. These innovations point to a more unified, efficient, and intelligent world where connectivity, data, and decision-making converge to create smarter solutions across industries.
The fusion of IoT and AI will enable smarter, real-time decision-making, helping cities manage traffic more efficiently and businesses monitor equipment before a breakdown occurs. The increasing integration of network technologies, alongside the growth of hybrid connectivity models, will give way to greater flexibility, reliability, and scalability for organizations deploying smart solutions.
And while the journey toward seamless, mature IoT services continues, 2025 will see businesses benefit from more consistent and standardized service delivery. This will be powered by improved connectivity platforms, better device management, and stronger security frameworks.
If you are navigating the world of Edge AI and building intelligent devices, platforms like ModelNova are leading the way by making the development of Edge AI devices more accessible the same way the no-code platforms did for software development.
Launched in 2024, ModelNova has already become an invaluable tool for developers, with over 50 pre-trained models designed for low-power hardware platforms. Whether you’re working on AI vision, sound, or speech recognition, ModelNova can simplify the traditionally complex process of selecting, adapting, and deploying AI models on edge devices.
This acceleration in prototyping and deployment will empower businesses to bring intelligent applications to life faster than ever and bridge the gap between innovation and real-world deployment. Read more on the building blocks of IoT and learn all about the foundations of a connected world.
