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ARTICLE · 03 MAY 2019

How Smart, Connected Products Are Transforming Business

Mayer Brown
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Connected products are now ubiquitous, and their use is projected to dramatically increase in the foreseeable future.

United StatesConsumer Protection
Marjorie H. Loeb
Marjorie H. Loeb
Linda Rhodes
Linda Rhodes
Dean Won
Dean Won
Riley C. Moore
Riley C. Moore
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Connected products are now ubiquitous, and their use is projected to dramatically increase in the foreseeable future. An estimated 8.4 billion connected "things" were used in 2017, the vast majority of which were consumer products and applications.1 The prevalence of these connected products is projected to double between now and 2020.

While bringing significant benefits to consumers and businesses through enhanced functionality, convenience and customization, connected products also raise important considerations for technology transactions. In particular, connected products require the integration of complex technologies, creating challenges for achieving the interoperability required for functionality. In addition, this connectivity can unintentionally open multiple cybersecurity attack points with respect to which security measures and safeguards must be implemented and maintained. The fastpaced growth in this area will result in exponential growth in

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