What will the IoT look like in 2017?

While it will still be the "leading edge" involved in widescale IoT implementation in 2017, according to Quocirca's Longbottom, there will still be enough of these leaders to make an impact on the way and volume in which IoT is used.

In the office, the most significant use of IoT will be in turning workplaces into smart buildings, according to TechMarketView principal analyst Martin Courtney.

"We are seeing IoT extending into the office environment in various different ways, notably smart building solutions that integrate facilities management with smart lighting, heating, air conditioning and energy solutions to reduce power utilisation costs and maintenance bills.

"These can be built around sensors measuring temperature and humidity combined with controllers that turn lights, heaters and fans up or down, and other electrical equipment (including PCs, printers etc) off when it's not needed via motion sensors that detect when people aren't actually in the office. Those motion sensors can also assist with desk allocation, meeting room management and bathroom maintenance, and link to high definition IPTV surveillance cameras to improve security and door access using biometric recognition technology."

The home, where the likes of Amazon's Alexa and Google Home, as well as Hive and Nest, have been establishing themselves ever more firmly will continue to be a key battleground for tech companies looking to make the most of the growth in interest of connected devices and technology.But there are other interesting use cases as well, including transport - particularly in private cars - and even the military to monitor the status of assets and personnel.

Longbottom highlights the use of IoT in the farming sector by agricultural vehicle making behemoth John Deere and agrochemical giant Monsanto, which he said: "are looking at how to ensure that crops harvested meet all the needs of Monsanto itself along with the food processors and retailers to ensure that the maximum value can be gained for the crop".

We will, he says, also see a flurry of new IoT companies pop up this year, but in the main they will disappear quickly as well, while established names like IBM, Google, AWS, GE and Honeywell continue building up offerings for individuals and businesses to use.

In short, 2017 isn't going to be the threshold year when suddenly everything's connected and IoT is everywhere, but it will help lay the groundwork for that eventual change.