It's estimated that the number of mobile-connected devices will exceed the world's population by the end of this year.That is a tremendous amount of connectionsand as more devices enter the market, the way people, processes, data, and things -the Internet of Everything -connect will change everything about how we do business and live our lives.

Mobility is the power-player when it comes to the future of the Internet of Everything, revolutionizing everything from our shopping habits to healthcare innovations. In this blog, Mala Anand, Senior Vice President, Cisco Services Platforms Group, outlines the importance of mobility as an Internet of Things driver and how these "things" are essential to the success of the Internet of Everything.

Be sure to read thefirst blogin this series by Rachael McBrearty, Chief Creative of the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group, about the Nexus of the Internet of Everything.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is on course to exponentially grow in the coming years, with more than 30billiondevices installed by 2020. And this count doesn't include the "standard" items such as PCs, tablets, and smartphones!

We have already seen how IoT innovations can connect homes, linking light bulbs, locks, thermostats, and more. We have even seen networks make their way under water to the ocean floor. And during this year's Cisco Live, mobile phone notifications, sensors on streetlights and recycling bins and other smart technology gave attendees insight into the fluidity of a connected city, as these "things" spoke to each another.  These innovations are fascinating, but the question still remains -what's next?

Think smart: devices, environments, and experiences. To visualize what is next, you must think beyond knowledge workers in the IT world and look to business operations in the OT (operational technologies) world, enabled by mobility. The coupling of connected people and things -enabled by mobility -is an essential part of IoT.

In an IoT world, establishing strong secure mobile network architecture will be critical for organizations as the connected things transform to the Internet of Everything (IoE) -the bringing together or people, process, data andthings. And as MachNation points out, this evolution of technology, business strategies, and human-to-technology engagement will completely reinvent how organizations deliver value.

Mobility is helping the Internet of Everything move forward by significantly impacting the Internet of Things. All over the world, advances in mobility are widening the reach of the Internet of Everything by providing greater comfort and familiarity with the use of new technologies -turning information into actions that enable companies to remain competitive, develop new capabilities, and create rich mobile experiences. Here are a few examples to consider:

• Access to "unprecedented mobility" was the requirement for MemorialCare Health System when they were ready to launch a new clinical information system. Accessible to both medical and administrative staff, users rely on network of mobile carts with wireless-enabled PCs to communicate, review medical charts, access patient records and more from anywhere within their hospital.

• There are dozens of healthcare wearables out there that can track stats such as how many calories you've burned, your heart rate and so on. But did you know that mobility can turn your healthcare equipment into smart device? One company, BitLock lets you lock and unlock your bicycle using a phone app and allows you to share your bike's location and access with anyone you'd like, creating a unique bike sharing system in  your neighborhood.

• Without access to vital agriculture information, rural farmers in Uganda found it difficult to receive real-time information that could help them increase their crop production and make a living. Mobile phones are now used by 60% of the population and many of these farmers now receive updates on weather changes, produce prices, new farming methods and more -all via text and SMS messaging on their phones.

The Internet of Things is on-track to be one of the largest tech trends ever and mobility continues to be a key factor in its rise. Consequently, without the information collected from the increasing network of devices that comprise the Internet of Things, the Internet of Everything cannot exist. All of the data that we collect on a daily basis can, and will be leveraged in real-time through our mobile devices. To meet the next wave of mobility, Cisco offers rich mobility solutions that integrate intelligent infrastructure, sensors, enterprise systems and people's location and identity..

Through Machine-to Machine (M2M), Machine-to-Person (M2P) and Person-to-Person (P2P) innovations, the devices we use will make our experiences more personalized, context-aware and valuable. With more mobility and location awareness, we are able to gain insights about users and their behaviors to engage them on a personal level. With connectivity like this, we are able to create new sources of value that companies, municipalities, individuals and more can leverage.

The boundaries of communication are slowly falling as mobility advances continue to alter our lives and connections become more intense. Mobility's role in the Internet of Things is undeniably crucial and the best part is that we are just on the cusp of discovering where it all will take us.

How do you think mobility is helping the Internet of Things to grow? Leave a comment below.

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