International Business Machines (IBM) has announced a $3 billion investment into the world of Internet of Things. It is one of several large scale investments from business-focused technology companies, clearly seeing the long term advantages of IoT investment.

The new investment will sink into IBM's line of smarter-planet and smarter-cities businesses, already providing analytics and software to companies and governments through IoT.

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IBM will spend $1 billion to start the IoT push into the business sector, grabbing 2,000 consultants with experience selling hyper connected sensors and software packages.

The advantage of IBM's IoT platform is it runs on Bluemix, allowing developers to create and deploy applications for asset tracking, facilities management and engineering tools.

IBM is partnering with The Weather Company to vastly improve macro-level weather forecasts, using sensors on aircraft, satellites, drones, high level buildings, and even smartphones to gain more individual data to compile more accurate analysis.

AT&T and ARM are two other partners IBM will be working with on its IoT platform. ARM already has a section of connected devices, but has not invested as heavily as other chip manufacturers like Intel and Qualcomm.

IBM has quite a lot of competition in the IoT field, meaning it needs to sell its own platform to customers and make sure there are significant advantages. Cisco recently announced larger investments in IoT, and companies like Microsoft and Amazon both have eyes on the market.

TagsBluemix, The Weather Company