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Designers have component choices to help extend product life. For example, they
can simplify hardware upgrades by choosing components from manufacturers with
component families that are scalable. "When some manufacturers upgrade their
components, they try to keep the footprint on the printed circuit board consistent with
older versions," says Cheema. Working within a component family that is scalable can
help IoT manufacturers negotiate flexible component sourcing deals.
Sensors are essential for devices that work to automate control through smart
decisions. Cheema says, "Ideally, you want to have as many sensors as possible built
into the device." Of course, you will have to balance the inclusion of sensors against
cost—and not just the cost of sensors. It's also the cost of software that makes the
sensor usable. Cheema notes that baking sensors into a product early gives designers
the flexibility to go to market without making all those sensors functional, and then
later adding capabilities through remote software upgrades, a strategy that can also
extend product life.
"Ideally, you
want to have as
many sensors
as possible built
into the device."
