Five reasons Google Cloud is still a great cloud for the Internet of Things

You may have heard that Google Cloud announced in August 2023 that it was discontinuing its IoT Core product. The demise of IoT Core has led some to wonder if Google will exit the IoT business altogether. As Google's premier partner and independent iot software company that has successfully deployed many enterprises and run millions of devices on our platform, we can answer that question with a resounding no.

Instead, Google Cloud is taking an open, partner-led strategy to iot, mirroring their approach to many other cloud services. This direction offers customers more choice, less single-vendor lock-in, and more full-featured products. In fact, at Leverege, we still think Google Cloud is the best Cloud for iot applications, and here are 5 reasons why:

1. Unparalleled Security -- It's no secret that Google Cloud is widely considered the most secure Cloud in the industry. The potential attack surface for iot solutions is much greater than for pure software applications because iot requires the deployment of unattended sensors in the physical world. Google is putting security at the forefront of every cloud and edge service they offer so that iot customers can sleep well at night.
2. Leading AI/ML products - iot creates an ever-expanding data pipeline for AI and machine learning algorithms. As digital transformation continues to sweep the globe and everything on Earth becomes connected, the amount of data generated by iot devices will far outstrip the signals generated by humans. Google's AI and ML products make device data operational, leading to enhanced automation and better decision making.
3. Lowest cost -- Leverege IoT Stack is a sophisticated, microservice-based IoT platform that has been ported to all major cloud providers; Therefore, we know from direct experience that no Cloud is more reliable and cheaper to run at scale than Google Cloud. Since the operational cost of an iot solution is often the biggest barrier to scaling, keeping infrastructure costs low can unlock many use cases that are too costly to automate compared to other alternatives.
4. Data Residency -- Google Cloud has the most extensive fiber backbone network in the world and is rapidly deploying edge locations and access Points (pops) internationally. Many countries are imposing non-negotiable data residency requirements, which means that all iot data must be processed and stored within the host country. Being able to meet these stringent localization and data residency requirements opens new markets for iot application providers like Leverege.
5. Location Services -- Location is a core element of many iot applications, such as asset tracking and fleet management. Here, Google's suite of location-centric products is the most comprehensive and accurate, from Google Maps and Google Earth for indoor and outdoor visualizations to rich apis that optimize routing and multi-source, non-GPS location via WiFi hotspots and cell towers.