An agreement to develop Internet of Things services has been entered into by Tata Communications and Ooredoo Maldives. New capabilities expected are advancements in wearable and smart technologies.

New specifications to move 5G mobile standards forward have been approved. The timeline for 5G to launch is being accelerated.

LG is partnering with HERE, a mapping provider, to work on a telematics product targeted to self-driving vehicles. LG has been working on telematics for years.

Researchers at Trend Micro have found some potential issues with certain audio speakers.  Some internet-connected speakers from Bose and Sonos were found to be open for audio hijacking.

Smart digital assistants are extending out of the home. Cars from Kia and Hyundai will now have built-in artificial intelligence assistants starting in 2019.

Wireless charging is becoming even more wireless, at least from a distance standpoint. The FCC has approved the first wireless charger that cam work from several feet away from the device being charged.

Chinese tech powerhouse Xiaomi shipped a record amount of IoT gadgetry. Products included smart speakers, a smart home thermometer, smart body scale, a robot vacuum cleaner and home security kit.

 Computer-generated voice is improving. A research paper by Google shows that voice generated by artificial intelligence is now near human voice speaking from text.

New uses for smart lighting continue to sprout. Now HTC plans a lightbulb that can detect a person falling in their bathroom.

Drones are moving beyond the realm of the military and hobbyist markets and into one portion of healthcare. The flying devices are being used to deliver emergency medical supplies to remote areas.