1. the rise of internet of things developers
Based on responses of 1,780 IoT and M2M developers
who are the IoT/M2M developers and how to reach them
vmob.me/DE3Q14IoT Published October 2014

2. VisionMobile | the ANALYSTS of the mobile Economy
We help companies track developer trends and master digital business models
Track developer trends attitudes
If you could speak to
10,000 app developers,
what would you ask them?
Master developer-centric business models
Master the rules of digital era
to transform your business with
apps, APIs and co-creation platforms.
clients
trusted by the top names in tech
2
The Telco Innovation Toolbox: Economic Models for Managing Disruption and Reinventing the Telco
1
1
© VisionMobile 2012. Some rights reserved.
VisionMobile.com/Strategy
Developer Economics 2014 6th ed.
1
2

3. Copyright
2014
VisionMobile
3
1,780 developers that target Internet
of Things (IoT), Machine-to-Machine (M2M)
and embedded took part in VisionMobile’s
7th Developer Economics survey, which
reached 10,000+ app developers in total.
In our report “IoT: Breaking Free of
Internet and Things” (June 2014), we
showed how communities of developers play a
key role in shaping the future of Internet of
Things.
This presentation lifts a tip of the veil on
who those IoT developers are, where to
find them and how to reach them.
vmob.me/IoT

4. Copyright
2014
VisionMobile
3.2M
Internet of Things
developers
are ready to start
innovating today
The number refers to software
developers that are involved in
Internet of Things, Machine-to-
Machine (M2M) and embedded
development.
12.5% of these developers (1 in 8)
focuses primarily on Internet of
Things and M2M. That’s over 415,000
committed IoT and M2M developers.
1
4

5. 5
Fully committed vs. IoT as a side project among IoT, M2M
and embedded developers
Developers working primarily
on IoT/M2M projects
12.5%
3.2M
developers
Developers involved in
IoT/M2M as a side project
Percentage of IoT, M2M and embedded developers that have
IoT/M2M as their primary target today
Source: Developer Economics Q3 2014

6. Copyright
2014
VisionMobile
IoT/M2M attracts
many more
developers
than Smart TVs, set-top-
boxes, consoles
and e-readers
36% more mobile developers are
involved in IoT/M2M as a side-project
than in Smart TVs, set-top boxes,
game consoles and e-readers
combined.
Twice as many mobile developers have
IoT/M2M as their primary target,
compared to the other consumer
connected devices listed. (2,1% and
rising versus a stable 1% of mobile
developers, respectively.)
2
6

7. 7
IoT/M2M developers vs. TV/STB/consoles/e-reader
developers
11%
15%
TVs, STBs, e-readers, game
consoles
IoT, M2M
+36%
Percentage of mobile developers that develop for
IoT/M2M or other connected devices as a side project
Source: Developer Economics Q3 2014

8. Copyright
2014
VisionMobile
Small teams
spearhead IoT
movement
For both IoT and M2M developers
startups and SMEs account for about
70% of developers (true for fully-committed
developers and developers
working on IoT as a side-project).
Few succeed at running an IoT project
alone. Over half of IoT/M2M
developers work in small, agile teams
in companies of less than 50 people.
3
8

9. Company size for IoT/M2M and mobile app developers
17%
19%
Copyright
2014
VisionMobile
50%
Source: Developer Economics Q3 2014
9
6%
14%
50%
20%
25%
Loner Startup (50) SME (50-500) Enterprise
Mobile app developers
IoT/M2M developers

10. Copyright
2014
VisionMobile
Western Europe,
North America,
India and China
emerge as key
IoT/M2M hubs
There are IoT startup clusters in Silicon
Valley and New York, as well as in Toronto,
Canada (can be result of BlackBerry fallout).
Western European developers are scattered
and compared to other regions move slower
from mobile to IoT. (IoT in Finland seems to
benefit from Nokia fallout.)
India (Bangalore, Mumbai) and China
(mainly major coastal cities) lead IoT in Asia
(40% of IoT developers) – A significantly
higher proportion than in mobile. The
outsourcing and manufacturing hubs offer
fertile ground for IoT innovation.
4
10

11. North
America
23%
Europe
28%
Asia
40%
South
America
3%
Africa
5%
Oceania
1%
Distribution of IoT/M2M developers across regions
Source: Developer Economics Q3 2014
11

12. Copyright
2014
VisionMobile
Information is
more important
for IoT/M2M
developers than
discovery or
experimentation
Community support is the most popular
source of information (over 50% of
developers). Online forums and tutorials are
underdeveloped relative to mobile.
Committed IoT developers seek information,
not discovery. Workshops are a key outreach
channel. Events are a less popular source of
information for them compared to those
involved in IoT as a side project.
Hackathons only reach 1 in 5 IoT developers.
Publications in tech media reach only 1 in 3 of
committed IoT developers.
5

13. 13
Main sources of information used by IoT/M2M developers
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Online forums tutorials
Developer portals
Social media
Official vendor website
Webinars or workshops
Hackathons
Conferences
Vendor events
Meetups
Tech media
Email newsletters
IoT = side project
Source: Developer Economics Q3 2014

14. 14
Get in touch to learn more
about IoT developers
and how to reach them
IoT@visionmobile.com
+44 845 003 8742

15. Knowledge. Passion. Innovation.
Updated: 12 November
Copyright VisionMobile 2011
2010
Subscribe today
to the developer economics research program
Contact:
Matos Kapetanakis
matos@visionmobile.com
Marketing Manager
Get the latest Developer Economics reports:
www.DeveloperEconomics.com/reports