E-commerce has become increasingly popular as a business model for the Internet of Things in the consumer space. A toothbrush example, as simple as it may sound, helps demonstrate that
technology (software, connectivity or data), when viewed as a feature of a product, is hardly a game-changer for the product maker; opening the product to external innovation by developers can
create a competitive advantage that is difficult to replicate; and, e-commerce companies see devices not as a source of profits, but as a part of the customer acquisition costs, serving as a vehicle
for customer acquisition and engagement (Amazon Echo or Xiaomi phones are not much different, in this respect).
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