IoT application development services are a new and interesting field for software developers to get involved in. The Internet of things is a system of interconnected, wireless devices that access the Internet, collect and send data, and communicate thanks to sensors, processors, and hardware. 

Internet of things software development services can build apps for smart homes or even smart cities, self-driving cars, wearable technology, farming applications, and retail shops.

How does software development for IoT relate to normal mobile apps?

A custom IoT development company will probably have a good deal of experience with mobile app development. After all, we access IoT devices using our mobile phones in most cases. The mobile app is the primary interface through which we can manage our smart devices – think of smart self-driven cars or even your Alexa app.

Internet of Things application development services use mobile apps as the medium between the IoT device (like a car, fridge, or television) and a mobile phone. In other words, mobile apps enhance and supplement the use of IoT. You could theoretically manage your devices from a desktop computer, but phone apps allow you to access devices on the move or remotely. Smartphones also have a number of sensors, including Bluetooth, that can be used to communicate with devices or deliver geolocation information.

Think of the Tado app. The app tracks your position based on your mobile phone, and as soon as you enter a specific perimeter, it starts heating or cooling your house for you. This saves on your energy costs – and makes for a cozier living!

Why is IoT different?

IoT is different from other networks like the Internet. The Internet has centralized control – if servers go down, connected devices can’t access the content, no matter how powerful they are. IoT devices are dependent on individual storage and processing power, which means its decentralized. IoT works as a group of interconnecting nodes, and the Internet works through the connection of devices to each other.

Requirements for a Specialized IoT Software Development Company

Because IoT apps are so vastly different from other apps, developers specializing in IoT apps need a special set of skills.

Cybersecurity is of tantamount importance. When smart televisions, fridges, and other devices entered our homes and workplaces, in the beginning, no one really thought about hackers hacking our appliances. Unfortunately, hackers quickly found that smart TVs and printers were a great way to access otherwise secure corporate and private networks, leaving many businesses and private individuals vulnerable to attacks.

Luckily developers soon became wise to this tactic and have upped their game with regards to IoT devices and security.

IoT developers need to know a little bit about everything involved in the IoT – including networking, systems, engineering, hardware device programming, and cloud programming. Some developers will specialize, but most will end up being a jack of all trades.

An IoT software development company is a great place to learn about artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science, which is used to automate processes and gain insights from the huge volume of data collected by IoT-connected devices.

Unlike conventional app development jobs, you don’t really need a Computer Science degree to work in IoT development. You can focus on sensors and how hardware interacts with the software like you would with a Raspberry Pi.

Developers will usually work within frameworks like Ruby on Rails, Phoenix, React, Nerves, and React Native. They will also need to have a working knowledge of cloud services focused on IoT, like AWS IoT or MS Azure IoT. The most common programming languages for IoT software programs are Ruby, Python, HTML, CSS, C#, and Elixir.

Conclusion

Clearly, there are quite a few differences between mobile and IoT application development services, but also a lot of overlap. If you want to become proficient in IoT programming, it’s a good idea to speak to an expert in the area.