Google LLC’s cloud business has notified customers that its IoT Core service for managing connected devices will be discontinued, TechCrunch reported today.

Google plans to discontinue the service on Aug. 16, 2023. The search giant recommends that customers begin moving applications built on IoT Core to other products in the same category.

Companies are deploying internet-connected devices at locations such as factories to increase operational efficiency. A manufacturer, for example, might install sensors in a production line to collect data about potential malfunctions. Sensors and other internet of things devices usually transmit the data that they collect to a cloud-based analytics environment for processing.

IoT Core, which Google Cloud debuted in 2017, eases the task of sending data from connected devices to a company’s cloud-based analytics environment. It also helps with several related tasks.

Companies can use IoT Core to define the configuration settings of newly deployed connected devices. After the initial deployment process is complete, IoT Core can establish network connections to connected devices and send the data they collect to the cloud. The platform encrypts network connections to reduce the risk of cyberattacks.

IoT Core is one of several products on the market that are designed to simplify the deployment and maintenance of connected devices. Some products provide an end-to-end feature set for running connected device fleets, while others focus on easing specific tasks such as troubleshooting. Many of the offerings in the category are developed by startups. 

“Since launching IoT Core, it has become clear that our customers’ needs could be better served by our network of partners that specialize in IoT applications and services,” a Google spokesperson told TechCrunch. “We have worked extensively to provide customers with migration options and solution alternatives, and are providing a year-long runway before IoT Core is discontinued.”

Google continues to maintain a presence in the connected device market with its Coral series of processing modules. The modules, which are based on a custom chip, can be integrated into a connected device to equip it with the ability to run machine learning modes. Google’s Coral product series includes several related offerings as well, including sensors and circuit boards that enable developers to create new features for their devices.

The numerous cloud services that Google Cloud offers alongside IoT Core also form part of its value proposition for connected device companies. Organizations can, for example, use Google’s BigQuery data warehouse to process logs collected by IoT sensors. The search giant offers machine learning services that can be used to scan sensor logs for notable data points such as hardware malfunction indicators. 

Google’s major competitors in the public cloud likewise offer services focused on connected device management. Amazon Web Services Inc. provides AWS IoT Core, which enables companies to link connected devices to the cloud and perform related tasks. Microsoft Corp. offers a competing service called IoT Hub as part of its Azure cloud platform. 

Image: Google