Skywaves and airwaves: the case for risk mitigation with drones

Updated in March 2026, this report presents the latest forecasts and views on the evolution of the IoT market, the key changes between the new and previous forecasts, and forecasts up to 2035. The global IoT market will reach 40.8 billion connections by 2030 and 52.9 billion by 2035. Enterprise applications are the primary growth driver, expanding from 65% of total connections in 2030 to 69% by 2035, led by smart buildings, manufacturing, and utilities.

The global IoT market will reach 40.8 billion connections by 2030, growing at 8% CAGR during 2023-2030, and is forecast to expand further to 52.9 billion connections by 2035 at a moderated CAGR of 5% during 2030–2035. Enterprise IoT will drive the market, with the share of enterprise IoT connections expanding from 65% in 2030 to 69% by 2035, led by smart buildings (15% CAGR to 2030), smart manufacturing (12%) and smart utilities (10%). The forecast includes annual connections data through to 2035, with regional and vertical breakdowns.

Amazon has agreed to acquire Globalstar in a deal valued at approximately $11.6 billion. It has indicated that it expects the deal to close in 2027, subject to regulatory clearance. This would pave the way for Amazon’s own direct-to-device satellite service launching in 2028. The deal will firmly place Amazon as the main competitor of Starlink in the burgeoning D2D space. But it also has ramifications for other satellite companies and telecoms operators.