The Week In Review: IoT

Mergers & Acquisitions
Qualcomm reported that the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 expired on Monday, April 3, clearing the chip design company’s proposed $47 billion acquisition of NXP Semiconductors, at least in the eyes of U.S. antitrust regulators. Qualcomm expects to close the transaction, which will create an Internet of Things powerhouse, by the end of calendar 2017. The company also announced that its cash tender offer for NXP shares is extended until 5 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 2.

Products
Meanwhile, NXP Semiconductors said it collaborated with GCL Technologies, the Technological Research Center of Guala Closures Group, on a product that will detect if a beverage bottle has been opened and tampered with, such as replacing a genuine alcoholic beverage with counterfeit booze. They developed a near-field communication closure offering using NXP’s NTAG 213 Tag Tamper technology. This new product will be part of Guala’s Internet-of-Closures product line.

ReconaSense of Austin, Texas, has introduced a proactive, situational awareness platform for real-time analysis of inputs for IoT devices and other products. The platform offers access control, native controls, and video analytics, among other features, according to the company. ReconaSense is affiliated with Austin-based Smarter Security.

A cautionary tale about IoT technology, or a bad example of a vendor’s customer service? Maybe a bit of both. The developer of Garadget, an Internet-connected garage door opener, was angered when a customer complained about the device’s performance and wrote a nasty review on Amazon.com, where he had purchased the product. The result: The device’s connection to the cloud was cut off by the company, making the opener inoperable. A controversy on Twitter ensued, which led to the customer’s service being restored.

Services
Metova, an application development firm, is now offering embedded development services, emphasizing Internet of Things applications in ultra-low-power home and industrial sensors, health care, and security. Metova said its cybersecurity offerings are being used by the Air National Guard, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Navy.

Market Research
Frost & Sullivan has a new report, Opportunity Analysis of Sensors in Power Generation and Smart Grids. It forecasts the sensors market for power generation will almost double in five years, from $3.82 billion last year to $7.37 billion in 2022.