Prospects and difficulties of Mesh-networks in the market of mobile applications

Interested in Mesh networking technology, I noticed that the topic is not popular enough to enter the market, but it is rapidly gaining momentum. Given the technological trend of miniaturization and the growing market of mobile applications every year, it is logical to rely on the mobile segment. Of course, not forgetting the rest, as a supplement.

Problem

The problem of the popularity of mesh-networks exists, despite the advantages of technology. Of the ten colleagues I surveyed, among whom are programmers, testers, engineers, only one person has ever heard of this topology. Moreover, after clarification, the majority liked the ideology, and one of them immediately began to describe the difficulties of entering the market. These difficulties, I think, are understandable, and have been repeatedly discussed within the hub, but what can be done to overcome them when entering the market?

In my opinion, the factors determining the popularization of mesh technologies by priorities:

1. low threshold of entry;
2. competent entry to the market;
3. cross platform

Existing solutions

An interesting picture of the mobile application market: the introduction of technologies that allow you to create your own device interaction protocol using native tools begins. Began to appear projects using mesh topology.
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There were not so many offers for the mobile segment satisfying at least criterion No. 1 (low threshold - this set-> launched-> works. Without root and other dances). To be honest, I found only one project - Open Garden . I hope you correct me.

With the second item, they also have a decent enough, but not without flaws.

The third point is a little more interesting: they do not have a client under linux - or I did not find it. The most interesting thing is that the project developed its own protocol using native tools - first for Android, then iOS (they added the necessary support later ). It can be assumed that "forced" to add.

Preparing for the release of API (immediately came up with a lot of ideas for using this protocol).
The first appeared their own FireChat .

As it seems to me, Open Garden is the most successful project, a pioneer of the popularization of mesh networks on the market. But something did not give me rest, and somehow too little discussion on Habré. And suddenly , I realized - this is a commercial project, despite the name. Immediately, as a result of my particular suspicion, questions arose:

• Who is financing?
• Why is it closed, despite the idea to make the world better?
• Are there any bookmarks?
• What will begin to take money?
• What is their ideology in reality? Is it possible to build a better new world on a black box?
• How does it work? How difficult is it to come up with a protocol for mobile devices?
• And the most important question is whether to use someone else’s, closed, but proven protocol, or use a bicycle in your projects?

Conclusion

Considering the growth rates and forecasts for the coming years, mesh networks are probably in the open spaces of the market, especially in the rapidly growing mobile applications market.

The position of specialists in the field of existing tools on the organization of mesh networks with regards to the problem of choosing a protocol for new projects is very interesting. As far as I understand, making two protocols without any problems is unlikely to succeed, if at all.

Links

J'son & Partners Consulting ;
ABI Research ;
The Frenchman invented the Internet from the air without wi-fi ;
The (Not) Open Garden: Using the Open As a Buzzword .