In a deal that could help spur the adoption of machine-to-machine (M2M) technology for remote service and other applications, market pioneer Axeda Corp. today announced a partnership that will combine its M2M technologies with service and consulting offerings from global consultancy Deloitte.
The two companies said they have collaborated to develop a Deloitte-branded offering called Live Intelligence Platform, which both companies will market and sell. The offering, available now, combines Axeda’s ServiceLink set of sensor, wireless networking, and security tools for remote service applications with Deloitte’s systems development, consulting, and industry-specific knowledge.
The deal marks the first major commitment to the M2M market by one of the large systems integration services providers, and could provide a significant boost to the market that, by some accounts, has seen slower-than-expected growth. Late last year, in a bid to consolidate and stimulate the market, Axeda acquired competitor Questra.
“Deloitte’s entrance into the Smart Services space represents a step toward enterprise status for this segment,” said Ben Friedman, an analyst at IDC Manufacturing Insights in a prepared report. “We also believe the space will receive increased attention from end users and enterprise software vendors now that Deloitte has committed resources to it. As a result, established vendors such as Qualcomm will feel pressure to mature themes around the business value of their service offerings, if they hope to compete with established enterprise advisers like Deloitte.”