Google is sunsetting IoT Core. Now what?

On August 16, Google Cloud announced that it will retire its IoT Core product in a year. According to a Google spokesperson, “it has become clear that our customers’ needs could be better served by our network of partners that specialize in IoT applications and services.”

For Google IoT Core customers, the question is where should they look to keep their IoT programs running before the sunset. The answer is to find a global leading open IoT platform partner that can work across any technology, cloud or device.

What to look for in an IoT Core alternative 

This change of strategy has created a time of great uncertainty for those organizations either using or considering to use Google IoT Core. Heise recommends that “organizations migrate from IoT Core to suitable alternatives as soon as possible,” but to be conscious of the technical lock-ins inherent in all hyperscalers.

However, this uncertainty presents an opportunity.

First, it is an opportunity to pivot to an open, technology-agnostic platform that allows customers to maintain control over changing market conditions – and unexpected shifts in hyperscaler priorities.

And second, it is an opportunity to introduce a platform that democratizes IoT, allows non-technical users to be more hands-on with IoT solutions and enables the scarce specialists to focus on the competitive differentiating activities. This will help overcome the current technical skills gap and bring real-time insights directly to the people who can make real-time decisions. A low-code platform can help make IoT more accessible and more agile to everyone involved.

One sunset is another dawn 

For affected customers, as the sun sets on Google’s IoT Core, it rises on a chance to advance.  Software AG’s Cumulocity IoT has been built from the ground up with this in mind – open and agnostic of virtually everything. Cloud agnostic. Device agnostic. Protocol agnostic. Vertical agnostic. (The list goes on and on.) It’s a true multi-tenant self-service IoT device management and application enablement platform that allows users to create solutions in over 40% less time than alternatives – in part thanks to its low-code approach.

It is recognised as a leader by the leading analysts firms, including Gartner, Forrester and MachNation, which scored it a leader for the 6^th consecutive year in their recent IoT Device Management ScoreCard. The assessment celebrated its “Develop Once, Deploy Anywhere” approach that enables apps and analytics models to be built and deployed anywhere within the architecture, and praised our thin edge capabilities for resource constrained devices.

IoT is at the heart of Software AG’s strategic growth engine, and is a key reason why hundreds of major brands like Stanley Black & Decker, Lyreco, Durr, GreenFlex and Steelcase choose us. A growing number of our customers come to us after recognizing the limitations of their early solutions and are keen to share their appreciation of how smoothly the migration from their legacy systems go.

IoT Market Maturity 

Google’s revised strategic focus is yet another indicator of how the IoT market is evolving, separating the delivery of the cloud infrastructure essential for digital transformation from the domain-specific IoT expertise needed to benefit from it. With our market-leading Cumulocity IoT platform, experienced Professional Services migration experts, and strong partner ecosystem, Google Cloud customers can both ensure continuity of their enterprise IoT solutions and protect their investments.

Google Cloud customers can take advantage of our Architecture Assessment to rapidly scope their IoT Core migrations to avoid common pitfalls and incorporate best practices. This allows stakeholders to be confident in their IoT resiliency, stability and performance throughout the migration.