IBM to Pour $3bn into IoT Data Unit

IBM is to invest $3 billion over the next four years to establish an Internet of Things (IoT) unit, which will capitalize on the company's expertise in gathering, combining and making sense of real-time data gathered from a variety of sources.

IBM says it will help clients to integrate data from IoT and other sources, providing an open platform through which manufacturers can design and produce a new generation of connected devices, and business leaders can create systems for more informed decision-making.

The firm estimates that 90% of all data generated by devices such as smartphones, tablets, connected vehicles and appliances is never analyzed or acted on. To address this challenge, its IoT cloud open platform will give users the analytics they need to design and deliver vertical industry IoT solutions - for example helping insurance companies extract insight from connected vehicles.

Bob Picciano (pictured), SVP, IBM Analytics, comments: 'Our knowledge of the world grows with every connected sensor and device, but too often we are not acting on it, even when we know we can ensure a better result. IBM will enable clients and industry partners to apply IoT data to build solutions based on an open platform. This is a major focus of investment for IBM because it's a rich and broad-based opportunity where innovation matters.'

Web site: www.ibm.com .