What Edge Computing Means for Hardware Companies

New demand, new markets: What edge computing means for hardware companies

With over 100 edge use cases identified, the fast-growing need to power connected devices demands a custom response from vendors.

JM Chabas, Chandra Gnanasambandam, Sanchi Gupte, and Mitra Mahdavian

OCTOBER 2018 • HIGH TECH PRACTICE As connected devices proliferate and their In considering the sheer variety and volume of capabilities expand, so does the need for real-time edge use cases, it becomes clear that the demand decision making untethered from cloud computing’s for the edge computing technologies that enable latency, and from connectivity in some cases. This them will in turn create myriad opportunities movement of computational capacity out of the in a vast number of industries. In this article, we cloud—to the edge—is opening up a new sector: edge map out more than 100 edge computing use cases computing. across 11 sectors that we believe could create more than $200 billion in hardware value in the By circumventing the need to access the cloud to next five to seven years (Exhibit 1). make decisions, edge computing provides real-time local data analysis to devices, which can include What drives edge computing? everything from remote mining equipment and To understand what effect edge computing will autonomous vehicles to digital billboards, wearable have, it is important to know what causes its health appliances, and more. evolution. Edge computers have an infinitely wide range of uses; however, the conditions in IoT devices tend to operate under different which they operate form the driving factors for conditions from those of the controlled this new field and the technologies that serve it. environments of offices and factories, driving These are: demand for a whole new set of technologies that can allow computing in those situations. Take the Varied connectivity and data mobility. Edge scenario of a military drone deployed on a tactical technologies can operate in places that might surveillance mission in a high-intensity combat limit or require intermittent connectivity to zone. It is essential for the drone to be able to the cloud for services like computing, storage, collect, process, and transmit high-quality data in backup, and analytics. real time, despite numerous challenges, including remote location, limited connectivity, and extreme Need for real-time decision making. Edge environmental conditions. use cases often require data to be processed instantly, for self-driving cars or automatic While the drone can use mobile satellite picking machines, for example. These devices connectivity to access the secure military cloud, it’s and platforms need to be able to do analytics much faster if it does the computing onboard, using locally, without first sending data to the cloud, so lightweight data storage and compute power. This decisions can be made rapidly. way of computing—on the edge of the cloud—lets the drone stay in sync with both the command center Localized compute power. Edge computers and troops on the ground, without the latency that need to be lightweight devices that can make fast, computing in the cloud involves. Once the job is done, secure decisions without the support of bigger the drone returns to base and can connect with the computing power. larger system, now transferring its data to the cloud, New storage and security needs. As the where it can be used to feed algorithms and other numbers of sensors generating data on remote advanced analytics activities. and mobile devices grow, so does the need for

New demand, new markets: What edge computing means for hardware companies 2 TMT 2018 New demand, new markets: What edge computing means for hardware companies Exhibit 1 of 6

Exhibit 1 Edge computing represents a potential value of $175B–$215B in hardware by 2025.

% of total edge % of total edge Industry use cases 2025 hardware value1 Industry use cases 2025 hardware value1

1Hardware value includes opportunity across the tech stack (ie, the sensor, on-device ﬁrmware, storage, and processor) and for a use case across the value chain (ie, including edge computers at dierent points of architecture).

efficient storage that can be secured in a variety of technologies need to be more specialized. For environments. example, the data storage and computing power needed for precision agriculture will be different Intermittent power. Power and infrastructure from that needed to run mobile, durable medical variations at the edge are pushing the boundaries appliances or safety equipment in a mine. of performance and capabilities of edge solutions. Especially in industrial applications, edge In our research we identified 107 edge computing computers need to be able to operate with a power use cases (Exhibit 2). These applications are supply that might be sporadic. not conceptual: we identified 3,000 companies deploying these use cases today to understand What opportunities will edge computing open? the potential opportunities across sectors and Unlike recent technological advances such as cloud the technology stack. Our calculation of the value computing, where most gains were captured by just they could generate focused on hardware, but of a few major players in the technology sector, edge course the opportunity extends to software too. We computing creates opportunities across a breadth considered the hardware stacks (the value of the of industries. In addition, while much of today’s sensor, on-device firmware, storage, and processor, technical infrastructure is sector-agnostic—the for example) and use cases across the edge value same cloud that powers an ecommerce engine also chain (including edge computers at different points powers the workflow of a bank—edge computing in the architecture).

3 High Tech Practice TMT 2018 New demand, new markets: What edge computing means for hardware companies Exhibit 2 of 6

Exhibit 2 A comprehensive market analysis revealed 107 concrete use cases for edge computing. 1 of 2

New demand, new markets: What edge computing means for hardware companies 4 TMT 2018 New demand, new markets: What edge computing means for hardware companies Exhibit 3 of 6

A comprehensive market analysis revealed 107 concrete use cases for edge computing. 2 of 2

5 High Tech Practice To chart each particular opportunity, we adopted improvements in human productivity and safety an industry lens to conduct our analysis, identifying from edge computing. edge use cases and quantifying the potential resulting hardware value. Based on the percentage Given the central theme of edge computing—that of edge use cases in each vertical, the top three a majority of the computing is done closer to verticals are: where the data is being generated, and so real- time decision making can’t rely on the traditional Travel, transportation, and logistics cloud or massive on-premises data centers, the varying conditions that each use case involves Global energy and materials drive the technology needed for it. Looking at this through the lens of specific use cases gives Public sector and utilities a sense of the range of technologies that will be needed. For example, autonomous vehicles rely The benefits of past technology revolutions were on visual processing, among other technologies, concentrated in sectors with heavy tech users, such TMT 2018 and these systems have to be able to withstand as financial services. For edge computing, sectors New demand, new markets: What edge computingrugged means environments that involve variations in that have traditionally been less tech-intensive, such for hardware companies weather, vibration, and connectivity. (Exhibit 3). Exhibitas energy 4 and of materials,6 stand to make substantial

Exhibit 3 Individual use cases have speci c operating conditions and customer needs that shape technology requirements. (1 of 2)

Cmputing dge vervie needs cmputer csstem nvirnment Autonomous eatime • Autonomous • Autonomous Rugged, mobile vehicles must make decisinmaing vehicle vehicle OEMs outdoor instantaneous To avoid fatal • Garage-based and integrators environment with driving decisions consequences, data center1 • Automotive OEM broad variations in based on data data must be suppliers temperature, collected via LIDAR, processed in • LIDAR, RADAR, vibration, and RADAR, and video real-time for and video connectivity cameras immediate camera vendors utnmus Once the car decisions to turn, vehices returns to its brake, or accelerate garage, data may be of oaded to Trave edge computer for further analytics transprt and Location-based caied Processor • Local, state, and Semi-outdoor gistics advertising in public cmputing per embedded in national transit environment with transportation uses Displays must display systems authorities intermittent the location of a function on vehicle • Advertising connectivity that vehicle to independently with agencies varies by route catin customize display limited connectivity (eg, urban, rural, based advertisements Cmpact rm aboveground, and near consumers actr Devices underground advertising The advent of 5G must be could make lightweight, small, location-based and low-power advertising possible at scale

New demand, new markets: What edge computing means for hardware companies 6 Individual use cases have speci c operating conditions and customer needs that shape technology requirements. (2 of 2)

Computing Edge Overview needs computer Ecosystem Environment Highly digitized Real-time Hyperconverged2 • Oil eld services Harsh external drilling rigs decision-making: edge appliance companies that environment generate data from With limited integrate the with drastic multiple sensors on connectivity, data end-to-end temperature equipment; the data must be analyzed drilling solutions variations and collected by these and acted upon in for oil and gas limited Offshore sensors needs to real-time to avoid rigs connectivity. drilling rigs be processed on damage to • Hyper-con the rig to avoid expensive verged solution equipment damage equipment vendors and interruptions in Rugged form operations factor: Device must Global function in harsh, energy at-sea conditions and materials Sensors on Real time Hyperconverged • Mining Harsh outdoor monitoring decision-making: edge appliance corporations and underground equipment, in the With limited • Hyper- environments, environment and on connectivity, data converged with limited or no employees, must be processed solution vendors connectivity Health and generate data that and acted upon in safety in is processed in real real time to prevent mining time to improve dangerous or fatal workforce accidents productivity, Rugged form workplace safety, factor: Computer and operational must withstand ef ciency harsh mine environment Sensor modules with Real-time Hyperconverged • State utility Outdoor integrated compute decision-making: appliance companies environment with are deployed in In remote settings • Electronic varying tempera- aquifers, treatment with no connectivi- equipment ture ranges, and plants, and pipes; ty, information must manufacturers indoor factory modules or be processed • Hyper-con environment, such hyper-converged locally in real time verged solution as central water appliances process Rugged form vendors treatment plants Water data on-site to factor: device must quality monitor water quality withstand outdoor monitoring in real-time, and in environments areas with strong connectivity, data will be intermittently transferred to the cloud for centralized Public analytics sector and Sensors and video Real time Hyperconverged • State Outdoor utilities cameras deployed decision-making: appliance infrastructure environment on roads and at data must be companies exposed to traf c lights capture processed in real • Third-party toll the elements, data on traf c ow; time to respond to operators with varying information is congestion quickly • Hyperconverged temperature transmitted to a Ef cient storage: solution vendors and moisture Congestion hyper-converged large volumes of ranges lanes appliance2 hosted video data must be at intermittent street quickly accessed locations to monitor for analytics traf c patterns and Rugged form implement factor: device must demand- based withstand outdoor pricing environments

1 Mobile micro data center deployed at telecommunications network edge. 2 A hyperconverged appliance combines compute, storage, and networking resources in a single piece of hardware.

7 High Tech Practice The edge will soon be everywhere Very soon edge computers will be all around us performing distributed computing across a multitude of devices in homes and factories, on farms, and throughout public infrastructure. The forces fueling the demand for these devices and the technologies enabling them are advancing rapidly. For tech companies, the development of edge technology will revolutionize industry with solutions customized for diverse use cases. This will create a paradigm shift from the device and original equipment makers all the way through to how such products are sold, installed, and serviced. The changes that result will affect all players in the tech stack, consumers in a vast array of sectors, and any companies and leaders looking to have a role in it.

JM Chabas is an associate partner in McKinsey’s San Francisco office. Chandra Gnanasambandam is a senior partner in the Silicon Valley office, where Sanchi Gupte is a consultant and Mitra Mahdavian is a partner.

The authors wish to thank Joseph Greenberg, Brahmjot Singh Kohli, Ritika Bipin Singh, and Daniel Sun for their contributions to this article.

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