No matter the programming language, CMS, or front-end software you work with, chances are that web development innovation takes precedent in your everyday work.

Software companies and independent web developers alike have a lot to look forward to with the continuous rise of IoT (Internet of Things) devices on the global market.

According to research, over 20 billion IoT devices will be active and connected to the internet by the year 2020. Of that, 90% of automobiles will also be connected to the web, allowing for a larger plethora of quality of life features for passengers.

This showcases a huge potential marketplace for web developers to implement their knowledge and expertise into IoT devices and their respective software packages.

But how does IoT development affect web development as we know it? The recently-published data refers to the 43% adoption rate of IoT devices in the next five years, further cementing the role of IoT technologies in web development.

What changes should we look forward to as we enter 2019 and approach a point of global oversaturation with interconnected devices?

Devices ripe for IoT/web hybrid development

Before we get into the impact of IoT, let’s take a look at some real-world examples of where it can be found today.

It’s worth noting that IoT and the web already work in tandem to an extent, but the trend will only grow over time, as we see more and more devices take on internet capabilities.

Smartwatches

Smartwatches are not a new piece of technology on the market. They are however connected directly to the user’s iOS or Android device which serves as an anchor for the watch’s functionality.

IoT technologies coupled with web development have already found their way into this piece of hardware in innovative ways.

They allow users to browse the web and display pages in a native state which doesn’t interfere with the overall UX and stability of websites.

Personal assistants

Software applications such as Cortana, Siri and Bixby have become the norm in numerous instances of hardware development.

Companies like Microsoft and Samsung put a lot of emphasis on the ease of use and improvements made on the part of learning how to use each of their devices effectively.

Personal assistants operate via an IoT database even today as they extrapolate users’ requests, notes and even answer their questions.

Computing devices

Coupled with copywriting and localization platforms such as The Word Point, personal assistants can provide genuine, believable and useful information to their users thanks to IoT implementation.

Small portable devices such as Raspberry Pi’s have become very popular thanks to their versatility and accessible price points.