Connected vehicles are changing how people think about mobility. They also have important implications for marketers, who are experimenting with ways to tap the data they produce to engage consumers and drive new revenues.

Better Data from IoT for Insurance and Investments. The higher capacity and device density of 5G networks will vastly increase the number of IoT devices connected to the internet. GSMA Intelligence estimates that the number of IoT device in North America will nearly double between 2019 and 2025 from 2.8 billion to 5.1 billion mobile connections.

Expanding the IoT Mediaverse. Most consumer-focused 5G service today revolves around smartphones, but 5G’s higher capacity and device density will also vastly increase the number of IoT devices connected to the internet, the cloud, and each other.

Store operations like inventory management and fulfillment will be bolstered by investments in store data/analytics and internet of things (IoT) systems, including computer vision systems. According to a January 2020 Splunk survey, 21% of retail IT and business managers worldwide said 5G services were currently in use by their organization.

As the use of smart-home technology increases, brands are experimenting with ways to use these connected IoT devices and systems—and the massive amounts of data that flows from them—in their marketing activities.

These recent smartphone failures could ultimately be a blessing in disguise for LG: By snubbing phones, LG can focus resources on its already well-established smart home and IoT technologies.

Further, investments in store data and analytics and internet of things (IoT) systems, including computer vision systems, will bolster store operations like inventory management and fulfillment. How can 5G enhance or transform the retail experience?

AI in IoT. Insurers are leveraging the explosion of data created by wearable and IoT connected devices to feed AI algorithms and tailor personalized products. IoT devices, like fitness trackers or smartphones, transfer behavioral data from customers to insurers.

Internet of Things and Service Robots. Over the years, there has been a rise in adoption of smart retail devices. Service robots, for example, hand out samples, provide advice to shoppers at malls, and serve tables at restaurants across cities in China. Retailers have come to realize that these devices need to become "smarter" by collecting additional data.

Much of this progress is occurring inside facilities because the development of 5G-enabled wearables and internet of things (IoT) devices has been delayed during the pandemic.

IoT Payments. Connected device payments are becoming more popular as penetration of commerce-capable objects increases. Connected device penetration is stretching beyond consumers and phones.

This report explores our latest forecasts for US voice assistant, smartphone voice assistant, and smart speaker users, and provides additional analysis about trends shaping the market.