If the companies behind the massive Internet of Things initiative get their way, in the next 10 years everything you own will be connected to the Internet. With that being the case, Google thinks all that connected real estate represents a prime opportunity for advertising.
In a etter to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Google clearly sees that this ever-evolving connected world can be filled ... with ads.
The filing was announced earlier this week and refers to what Google terms its Enhanced Campaigns, essentially advertising management tools the company launched in 2013 that outline online and mobile ad plans. However, Google now sees those plans changing and its SEC letter, done in January, outlines a future advertising path based on those changes
"In a short period of time, the meaning of 'mobile' at Google has shifted dramatically to 'handset' from 'tablet + handset'," the letter states. "We expect the definition of 'mobile' to continue to evolve as more and more 'smart' devices gain traction in the market. For example, a few years from now, we and other companies could be serving ads and other content on refrigerators, car dashboards, thermostats, glasses, and watches, to name just a few possibilities."
What types of ads Google is referring to remains unknown, but the SEC letter is certainly outlining a future where the IoT offers some new and interesting advertising opportunities.
"Our expectation is that users will be using our services and viewing our ads on an increasingly wide diversity of devices in the future, and thus our advertising systems are becoming increasingly device-agnostic," the letter added.
According to a recent Cisco report there were over 13 billion Internet-connected wireless devices in 2013, and the company estimates there will be over 50 billion by 2020.
The Pew Research Center also recently released a very detailed overview based on the thoughts of some 1,600 experts on exactly when the IoT and wearable tech will begin to have a major impact on the global community. The study's conclusion is 2025 as a safe estimate.
