<p>A growing number of internet-enabled devices can be hooked up to a network to communicate with other web-enabled gadgets and services.<br /><br />These include devices such as home electricity systems, which are connected to the internet via 'smart meters' to build a map of energy use, according to the Telegraph.<br /><br />"That figure might actually be a conservative estimate," said Jim Morrish, principal analyst at Analysys Mason, and author of the report.<br />"Taking in to account the uncertainties inherent in forecasting new technologies 10 years out, we believe that a realistic number of devices may be 44 billion, and six billion a realistic minimum.<br /><br />"That’s a worldwide average of between 0.8 and 5.8 internet-enabled devices for each person alive in 2020.”<br /><br />Experts believe the smartphone will be the main 'portal' to such web enabled devices, aggregating and filtering information from a range of web-enabled devices owned by the user, and offering management and control functions.<br /><br />For instance, setting the time for a 'smart cooker' to start cooking the evening meal, or granting remote entry to a house to allow a postman to leave a parcel on the porch.</p>
<p>A growing number of internet-enabled devices can be hooked up to a network to communicate with other web-enabled gadgets and services.<br /><br />These include devices such as home electricity systems, which are connected to the internet via 'smart meters' to build a map of energy use, according to the Telegraph.<br /><br />"That figure might actually be a conservative estimate," said Jim Morrish, principal analyst at Analysys Mason, and author of the report.<br />"Taking in to account the uncertainties inherent in forecasting new technologies 10 years out, we believe that a realistic number of devices may be 44 billion, and six billion a realistic minimum.<br /><br />"That’s a worldwide average of between 0.8 and 5.8 internet-enabled devices for each person alive in 2020.”<br /><br />Experts believe the smartphone will be the main 'portal' to such web enabled devices, aggregating and filtering information from a range of web-enabled devices owned by the user, and offering management and control functions.<br /><br />For instance, setting the time for a 'smart cooker' to start cooking the evening meal, or granting remote entry to a house to allow a postman to leave a parcel on the porch.</p>