A growing number of public administration and major smart city initiatives in the Middle East, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council region, has fueled adoption of IoT networking and related technology including machine learning and 5G mobile platforms.
Government-funded applications are driving the trend, putting some cities in the region on the cutting-edge of IoT deployment globally. The region's IoT industry is booming, with spending on related technology expected to hit nearly $18 billion by 2023, according to IDC.
Competition to serve the region is heating up with Silicon Valley giants such as Microsoft and Amazon entering the market. When tech vendors and IT leaders from private and public enterprises gathered in the swanky Armani Hotel located in Dubai's famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper at the 5th IoT Middle East conference last month, much of the discussion revolved around the idea that IoT systems are expected to generate a trillion dollar market in the coming decade, with far-reaching impact on areas such as energy, consumer electronics, telecommunication and industrial manufacturing.