Where next for the internet of things? [Information Technology Internet of Things]

According to statistics from McKinsey Global Institute, the Internet of Things has the potential to generate a global economic impact of somewhere between $2.7tr and $6.2tr a year by 2025. It was at the peak of expectations in Gartner's Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies in 2014 and, as a result, hopes for what this next stage of the digital revolution will deliver are high indeed. But what is the reality? If the atmosphere at the two-day Internet of Things (IoT) World Forum in London in November 2014 was anything to go by, it really is going to live up to the hype and deliver exciting things across many sectors, from manufacturing and energy to transport and the home. There were keynotes from big industry players such as Microsoft, 02 and Cisco, and exhibits, presentations and panel discussions from the smaller businesses that are creating the devices and platforms that will enable it.