8.4 billion. That's up 31 percent from 2016 and will reach 20.4 billion by 2020, according to predictions from the research firm Gartner. The forecast also shows that greater China, North America, and Western Europe will account for 67 percent of the overall internet of things installed in 2017.

Source: Gartner, Inc., “Forecast: Internet of Things— Endpoints and Associated Services, Worldwide, 2016”

[This article was originally published in the Associations Now print edition, titled "Better Connected."]