Meg Whitman sends IoT-themed festive message

HPE chief insists IoT will create new jobs, not just replace them

HPE's chief executive Meg Whitman has used the opportunity of sending her followers a festive message to talk up the impact the Internet of Things (IoT) will have on the world.

In her annual holiday message, in the form of a LinkedIn post, she wished the industry a happy new year, and a peaceful and prosperous 2017, adding: "And here's to a more connected future!"

"As we head into the holiday season, I'm already looking toward the future and am excited by what I see: technology that has the potential to answer some of our biggest questions, solve some of our toughest challenges and help us better understand the world around us," she said.

She added that smart cities, the workplace, manufacturing and healthcare will all be revolutionised by the IoT.

"The UN predicts that 66 per cent of the world's population will live in cities by 2050, placing massive strains on infrastructure and resources," she said. "But cities around the world - from London to Goyang - are already investing in technologies to cope with the influx.

"Sensors, data and analytics are being used to reduce traffic and energy consumption, improve public safety and air quality, and protect the elderly. These investments will not only give citizens more control over the services they want and need, they may even serve as an economic stimulus. One study suggests that IoT will add £322bn to the UK economy by 2020."