Google Android Things Platform Scales Back Its IoT Aspirations

In somewhat of a surprise announcement, Google is pulling in the reins of its Android Things platform and will now focus solely on smart speakers and smart displays, as opposed to the Internet of Things (IoT) category as a whole. The reason it is a bit of a surprise is because the IoT market is rather larger, and growing. Devices are getting smarter and more functional by the day, as a result of baking in Internet connectivity and related features. That is part of the reason why Samsung last year announced a $22 billion investment AI, 5G, automotive component ,and biopharmaceutical technologies. Samsung mentioned the IoT category as one of the areas that would benefit from its investment, and specifically from 5G. Be that as it may, Google sees the smarter decision in narrowing its focus for its Android Things platform, at least for now.