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Once a trend, the Internet of Things has become a reality that is changing the world in which we live. However, buzzwords can sometimes lead to confusion and cause questions to arise. So, are IoT and M2M the same thing? What is the difference between them?

Interestingly enough, this same question has spurred a discussion on Quora, and has been tackled by professionals within the industry. Some use both terms interchangeably, whereas others are adamant that they are not to be confused.

First of all, we can be certain that these two concepts do indeed have different meanings. Most conclude that Internet of Things is a broader concept, which will evolve from M2M and other technologies.

Simply put, Machine-to-Machine is where “Machines” use network resources to communicate with remote application infrastructure for the purposes of monitoring and control, either of the “machine” itself, or the surrounding environment. The potential interconnection of smart objects and the way we interact with the environment is what The Internet of Things is envisioned to be, where the physical world will merge with the digital world.

read more at iot.telefonica.com