Internet of Things, Internet of Objects, M2M, machine 2 IoT machine, or connected objects, are terms used to refer to the interaction that objects can have with each other.
M2M and IoT are two concepts that bring together objects connected to each other or to a network, with simple local or remote access.
But what are the differences between these two concepts? Discover their functions, their similarities and what sets them apart.
M2M is the acronym for "Machine To Machine", or machine to machine in French. This allows machines to communicate with each other without human intervention. M2M integrates the network used by connected objects, servers and applications developed to control them.
M2M technology is direct communication between one or more devices using wired or wireless communication channels. These devices capture data, share it, creating a network of smart objects.
M2M devices require wired connectivity or short-distance network coverage, such as WiFi, RFID or Bluetooth. We speak of a closed system because the machines are connected to each other or through gateways, servers, etc.
Controlling the heating of your home using your smartphone is an example of an M2M application. The thermostat and your phone are two interacting machines.
M2M is considered a subset of the Internet of Things world.
The world of IoT is larger, more open, especially towards the Internet. As a result, it is able to process and transmit data outside of a nearby network, such as a house or a factory.
The IoT makes it possible to capture and analyze data in bulk, to send it to a processing and storage platform in the cloud. The Internet of Things encompasses all machines and objects capable of interacting with their environment and communicating in a long distance network, with secure transport.
In the industrial and logistics fields, M2M is widely used for the connection and management of smart objects via cellular mobile networks, in particular: 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE-M (low consumption version of 4G), NB-IoT and now 5G, deployed and managed by operators.
The world of IoT has also developed around the use of individuals, including the home automation part of connected homes and all the new connected objects promoting user comfort. Examples: voice assistants, connected watches.
It is important to differentiate between the two concepts “IoT”, Internet of Things or Internet of Things and “M2M”, Machine to Machine or Machine to Machine.
Depending on your IoT project, you may choose a technology more suited to your service. But it is likely that you want to combine the two technologies to benefit from the specificities of each.
|
Setting |
M2M |
IoT |
|
|
Principle |
Point-to-point communication between machines |
Communications in an ecosystem of objects, platforms, applications, users ... |
|
|
Domain |
B2B: companies and communities |
B2C: general public |
|
|
Protocols |
owners |
Standards, those of the Internet in particular |
|
The challenge in the IoT world is to secure the thousands of data that are exchanged and stored between connected objects and users.