When it Comes to IoT Devices, it’s Time to Get Proactive

In today’s world, cars, homes and even clothes are connected to the internet. Smart devices are so intertwined into everyday life that we often take them for granted. But what happens when technology doesn’t work as expected? Houses may not heat up, cars can accelerate unexpectedly, and smart locks might fail to open. And that’s just the impact on the consumer.

When it comes to manufacturers, a faulty device can cause everything from high return volumes and customer complaints to costly product flops, long-term brand damage, and even business failure.

While brands can take steps to prevent product issues, they're an inevitable part of the development process. The way companies address product issues is a critical aspect of staying competitive and meeting customer needs.

Setting the Stage

Engineers developing Internet of Things (IoT) products are under constant pressure to innovate and introduce new — often complex — features, while simultaneously creating reliable and secure products. Yet, even the most meticulous brands encounter challenges after a product has been shipped.

Consider the case of Nike's self-lacing shoes. When they launched, the shoes were priced at $350 — a high-end product incorporating cutting-edge technology. There was a lot of hype and expectations for this new product. However, a faulty update caused shoes to disconnect from the internet, leaving them unable to sync with Nike's app.

While Nike can weather such an incident, other companies might not be as lucky. Imagine if a similar issue were to occur with a healthcare device or automobile. That adds in safety concerns and seriously raises the stakes.

Beyond product functionality, there are also security concerns. For too long, the IoT industry has leaned on the notion of security by obscurity, meaning many vulnerabilities haven’t come to light because they were flying under the radar. Hackers now target these devices more frequently, necessitating the need for increased insight into connected devices in the field.

Preparing for Launch — and Beyond

Organizations invest substantial time and capital in product development, yet often encounter a common challenge: once the product is deployed, visibility diminishes and real-world usage uncovers issues that were impossible to anticipate during testing.

For any connected device, it's imperative that companies know about product issues — even when it's in the hands of their customers. But how?

Companies often rely heavily on user complaints to uncover product issues. Reddit forums, for example, are a go-to source for engineers uncovering bugs. However, by the time a complaint makes its way to the internet, customers have already experienced a problem. By then, the damage is done. Even a small issue can damage reputations and cause increased product returns. While it’s still important to incorporate product feedback from public and customer support channels, the goal should be to uncover problems before a customer identifies the problem, not after.

Getting insight into device functionality without customer feedback is only possible with observability. Observability for IoT devices should be considered table stakes, akin to how software engineers view it. It's essential for companies to have insight into the health of an entire fleet of IoT devices and the ability to drill down into individual device performance. Access to this data, coupled with the capability to update devices, ensures that IoT devices fulfill their promise and operate reliably in the field.

The IoT industry shows no signs of slowing down and connected devices are no longer seen as a novelty. In order to succeed, IoT companies — and companies looking to make their devices connected — need to take a more proactive approach to identifying issues in the field. If not, customers will take notice and simply move on.

François Baldassari is the CEO of Memfault, an embedded observability platform for IoT monitoring.