Edge Computing Global News & Trends Roundup (June–July 2025)

Coverage: This report highlights global developments in edge computing from June 1, 2025 through early July 2025, including regional news, industry-specific trends, market forecasts, and expert insights.

Regional News Highlights

North America: Edge computing momentum in North America remained strong. U.S. telecom operators rolled out new 5G multi-access edge computing (MEC) services. For example, Verizon Business launched an Edge Transportation Exchange – a V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) platform leveraging 5G and mobile edge computing for real-time data sharing between vehicles, infrastructure, and pedestrians edgeir.com. The platform enables road safety use cases (pedestrian alerts, weather/traffic warnings) without expensive roadside units by using a virtualized edge architecture edgeir.com. Key deployments are underway with partners like Volkswagen, state transportation departments and universities to improve connected traffic systems. As Verizon’s VP Shamik Basu noted, “Cars are evolving from mechanical vehicles to software-defined mobile devices… Edge [technology] gives automakers, governments, and developers a robust platform for the cellular-connected future of transportation” edgeir.com. In industrial tech, Rockwell Automation (USA) introduced OptixEdge, an advanced gateway to process factory machine data on-site. By doing so, it reduces reliance on cloud servers and improves efficiency for smart manufacturing operations edgeir.com. According to Rockwell’s latest report, today’s smart machines generate massive data yet only 44% of it is used effectively – a gap OptixEdge aims to close by turning raw shop-floor data into real-time insights edgeir.com. “OptixEdge empowers customers to take control of their data… By processing data at its source, it unlocks valuable insights, improves efficiency, and drives innovation across operations,” said Jessica Morell, Rockwell’s product manager edgeir.com. North America also saw edge infrastructure expansion: data center operator 1623 Farnam completed a major expansion of its Omaha, Nebraska hub to handle surging Midwest edge traffic (adding 1.5 MW capacity) and accommodate more low-latency services edgeir.com. Meanwhile, startups secured funding to fuel edge growth; for instance, Canada-based Mimik Technology partnered with AMD to integrate its edge-native AI runtime into AMD’s hardware platforms, aiming to power next-gen distributed intelligence across devices edgeir.com.

Europe: European initiatives in edge computing focused on smart city innovation and modular infrastructure. In Luxembourg, a €3.1 million EU-backed pilot called SmartSpires launched to transform the Belval Innovation Campus into a smart city living lab with 5G, edge computing, and IoT integrations edgeir.com. The project is deploying “smart towers” equipped with sensors and edge nodes to enable real-time AI applications for urban mobility, public safety (crowd analytics), intelligent waste management, and other city services edgeir.com. Notably, data is processed locally at the edge to minimize latency, save energy, and improve data governance – creating a scalable model for other European cities edgeir.com. “The launch of SmartSpires is a significant milestone in Luxembourg’s digital transformation,” said Elisabeth Margue, Luxembourg’s Minister for Connectivity. “This initiative turns Belval into a living lab for future smart cities by integrating cutting-edge 5G connectivity, peripheral computing, and AI… its true purpose is about improving lives, enhancing sustainability, and shaping how cities across Europe evolve intelligently” edgeir.com. Elsewhere in Europe, engineering firms introduced modular edge data centers to meet rising demand. A collaboration by Siemens (Germany), Cadolto, and Legrand (France) unveiled a plug-and-play modular edge data center design that can be quickly configured, deployed or relocated within 6–12 months edgeir.com edgeir.com. This fully integrated micro-data center offers the performance of a traditional data center but with agility and 30% lower CO₂ emissions during construction (thanks to prefabrication and a 90% recycling rate) edgeir.com. It supports workloads from basic IoT to high-performance AI, making it suitable for industries like pharmaceuticals, automotive manufacturing, and even temporary “IT-ready” deployments for disaster recovery edgeir.com. “With digital transformation accelerating across every industry, our customers need infrastructure that moves as fast as they do,” noted Siemens’ Ciaran Flanagan, adding that the modular solution allows rapid scaling “just by plugging it in” to meet demand edgeir.com. European telecom players also stayed active: Nokia (Finland) and Andorix (Canada) partnered on private 5G networks with edge capabilities for smart building management in North America, and French startup PoliCloud raised €7.5 million to build out a network of micro edge data centers across Europe (underscoring investor interest in regional edge infrastructure). Additionally, the EU continued supporting edge and 5G via funding – e.g. an €865M investment announced in late 2024 to expand 5G corridors and edge nodes by 2027 edgeir.com, which began flowing into projects in 2025.

Asia-Pacific: Across Asia, governments and industry doubled down on edge computing to support sprawling digital ecosystems. A new market study reports the Asia-Pacific edge data center market, valued at $6.64 B in 2024, is projected to surge to $36.44 B by 2034 (nearly 18% CAGR) globenewswire.com. This growth is driven by the region’s push for low-latency, distributed computing to underpin massive 5G rollouts, explosive IoT adoption, and smart city initiatives globenewswire.com. Edge build-outs are national priorities from China to India: China’s “New Infrastructure” program, South Korea’s 5G+ Strategy, India’s Digital Communications Policy, and Singapore’s Smart Nation plan all promote deployment of edge sites and micro data centers, aided by government incentives like subsidies and spectrum for private 5G globenewswire.com. These efforts recognize that emerging use cases (from autonomous vehicles and real-time video analytics to AR/VR and Industry 4.0 factories) require compute and storage close to end-users to achieve millisecond-level responsiveness globenewswire.com. For example, edge nodes are being placed at 5G cell sites and urban hubs to support connected autonomous cars and smart traffic systems in densely populated cities globenewswire.com. In Southeast Asia, recent tech expos (SEMICON Southeast Asia 2025, Asia Tech x Singapore) showcased edge computing’s role in IoT and manufacturing innovation, reflecting the region’s growing stake in edge tech leadership. Several Asia-based companies advanced edge solutions in June: in South Korea, AI startup Nota AI teamed with Wind River to bring generative AI models to on-device edge environments (integrating Nota’s NetsPresso platform with Wind River Studio for real-time AI inference at the network edge). In Japan, Elliptic Labs partnered with CEVA to embed ultra-low-power AI sensing on edge processors for smarter mobile and IoT devices edgeir.com. And in China, Huawei highlighted the success of its partner EdgeGallery ecosystem and local providers like EdgeX in enabling edge-cloud synergy for new 5G applications (e.g. retail and gaming). The APAC region is also expected to lead in MEC (multi-access edge computing) adoption, with one report projecting Asia-Pacific MEC markets to grow over 51% annually through 2032, the fastest globally globenewswire.com. This is fueled by rapid urbanization, heavy 5G investment, and strong demand for real-time localized data processing in populous countries like China, India, and South Korea globenewswire.com. Notably, major Asian telecom and cloud providers are forming partnerships to expedite edge services – for instance, Japan’s NTT Communications recently tied up with Extended Reality developers to leverage its Edge as a Service platform for low-latency AR/VR streaming, and China’s operators expanded edge CDN nodes to improve content delivery in remote regions.

Middle East & Africa: Emerging markets in the Middle East and Africa also made strategic moves in edge computing. In East Africa, Kenya’s IXAfrica (which operates the region’s first hyperscale, AI-ready data center) entered a partnership with global cloud-edge provider EdgeNext to drive the next wave of digital infrastructure across East Africa developingtelecoms.com. This alliance will combine EdgeNext’s global edge platform (covering CDN, bare-metal cloud, and edge compute) with IXAfrica’s state-of-the-art Nairobi campus to deliver ultra–low latency services and localized content processing for enterprises in finance, media, telecom, and cloud sectors developingtelecoms.com. The goal is to enable mission-critical applications to be hosted within Africa rather than in distant hubs – improving performance and helping meet data sovereignty requirements. “Partnering with IXAfrica allows us to bring our global edge platform closer to where digital demand is scaling fastest,” said Terence Wang, CEO of EdgeNext, noting it will let East African businesses deploy latency-sensitive apps, seamless content, and comply with local data regulations from a regional base developingtelecoms.com. IXAfrica’s CEO Snehar Shah added that the partnership aligns with their vision to build Africa’s most trusted, AI-optimized digital infrastructure, “empowering global brands to deploy, scale and thrive” in the continent developingtelecoms.com. In the Middle East, oil & gas and smart city applications are catalyzing edge adoption. Saudi Arabia continued investing in edge and AI startups as part of its Vision 2030 tech ambitions – notably Saudi Aramco’s VC arm Wa’ed Ventures invested in UK-based edge AI company Ori to help it establish a Middle East presence and build out AI/edge infrastructure in the Kingdom edgeir.com. Ori’s platform specializes in large-scale AI model training and deployment across distributed edge sites; with Saudi backing it is setting up in Riyadh to provide local AI cloud and edge services for sectors like energy, smart cities, healthcare, and autonomous systems edgeir.com edgeir.com. “This partnership gives us resources to scale faster into the Middle East and aligns with our vision to provide end-to-end AI infrastructure for innovators worldwide,” said Ori CEO Mahdi Yahya edgeir.com. The move is expected to “indirectly fuel edge computing growth” in the region as more AI workloads localize, driving demand for edge deployments and real-time processing close to end-users edgeir.com. Middle Eastern telecom operators are likewise trialing edge-enabled 5G use cases – e.g. Etisalat and stc have pilot projects for MEC in smart stadiums and telemedicine, and in Oman a new 5G & edge cloud for smart cities initiative was launched under the government’s Digital Society program.

Industry Trends and Updates

Telecom & 5G Edge

The telecom industry in 2025 is increasingly entwined with edge computing as operators deploy 5G networks. Multi-access edge computing (MEC) is becoming a cornerstone for carriers to deliver ultra-low latency services on 5G. Global spending on edge by telecom and other sectors is surging – IDC forecasts worldwide edge computing investments will reach $378 billion by 2028, growing at double-digit rates idc.com. In June 2025, several telco-related edge initiatives made news. A notable example is Verizon’s launch of its 5G Edge Transportation Exchange platform (as mentioned above), showcasing how telcos can enable new services like connected-car safety by processing data on network edges edgeir.com. AT&T and T-Mobile joined Verizon in a rare collaboration to introduce the first standardized 5G network APIs in the U.S., aimed at making it easier for developers to tap into network-edge capabilities (such as precise location or QoS features) for new applications prnewswire.com. This move underscores a trend of carriers exposing edge and network features via open APIs to spur innovation.

On the global stage, alliances and standards efforts are focusing on telecom edge integration with AI. In mid-June, Cloudera announced it joined the AI-RAN Alliance, a consortium of telcos and tech firms (including NVIDIA, Dell, SoftBank, T-Mobile, KT, LG U+ and others) collaborating to embed AI into radio access networks (RAN) and define data/edge standards for intelligent telecom networks edgeir.com edgeir.com. Cloudera will contribute its expertise in scalable data management and edge-to-AI orchestration to help telecom operators manage and deploy AI at the network edge edgeir.com. “The network is the heart of the telecom business… AI can unlock substantial value across those dimensions,” said Cloudera’s Chief Strategy Officer Abhas Ricky, noting that with their experience powering data/AI for hundreds of telcos, they aim to help define the data standards, orchestration models, and reference architectures for “AI-native networks of the future.”* edgeir.com. This points to a larger trend of standardizing edge computing interfaces in telecom – from ETSI’s ongoing MEC specifications to industry groups aligning on Open RAN and network slicing standards – to ensure multi-vendor interoperability at the edge.

Telecom vendors also formed partnerships bridging connectivity and compute. Ericsson (a 5G infrastructure leader) and Supermicro (a hardware platform provider) announced a strategic collaboration to converge 5G and edge AI solutions edgeir.com. By pre-integrating Ericsson’s 5G connectivity (with features like network slicing and built-in security) with Supermicro’s range of edge AI compute systems, the partnership aims to simplify deployments of AI at the edge for enterprise 5G use cases edgeir.com edgeir.com. Target industries include retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and smart traffic management, where on-site 5G + AI can enable things like real-time video analytics in stores, automated industrial robotics, telemedicine, and adaptive traffic control edgeir.com edgeir.com. As Supermicro’s VP Mory Lin explained, “Our compute platforms combined with Ericsson’s 5G technology allow enterprises to extend AI applications to places where wired technologies aren’t viable – such as smart intersections, industrial manufacturing, and remote infrastructure” edgeir.com. This reflects a broader industry push toward edge convergence, where telecom operators and cloud/IT vendors jointly deliver integrated solutions (sometimes dubbed “network cloud” or “telco edge cloud”) that blend connectivity with computing power at local sites.

Another trend is the rise of private 5G networks with on-premises edge computing for enterprises. June 2025 saw deployments like Boldyn Networks and Nokia powering Europe’s first private 5G standalone network in a working hospital (Oulu University Hospital in Finland). That network uses Nokia’s edge-powered Modular Private Wireless solution to connect AR glasses for surgeons, enabling doctors to see patient vitals in real time during surgeries rcrwireless.com rcrwireless.com. The hospital’s staff can access data anywhere on campus with uninterrupted connectivity, even during power outages, thanks to the edge-enhanced 5G setup rcrwireless.com. This demonstrates how telco edge solutions are supporting mission-critical applications (like AR-assisted surgery) by providing reliable, low-latency local processing. The chief physician at Oulu Hospital noted that instant data access via smart glasses is “significantly improving quality of care” and that future use cases (robotic medicine delivery, AI diagnostics) will further rely on such edge-enabled networks rcrwireless.com. In the Middle East, as mentioned, Ori’s expansion backed by Saudi Aramco aims to establish regional edge AI infrastructure for telecom and other verticals edgeir.com. And in Africa, new partnerships (IXAfrica–EdgeNext) are bringing content delivery and cloud computing nodes into carrier-neutral data centers to serve local telco and ISP needs developingtelecoms.com.

All these developments indicate that telecom operators are evolving into edge cloud providers, integrating compute and storage at cell sites, central offices, and on customer premises. The MEC market is expected to explode accordingly – one forecast pegs the MEC market at $121.86 B by 2032 (from just $3.4 B in 2023), nearly 49% CAGR globenewswire.com globenewswire.com. North America led MEC adoption in 2023 (43% of revenue) thanks to early 5G rollouts and cloud investment, but Asia-Pacific is set to be the fastest-growing MEC market (50%+ CAGR) as countries there rapidly urbanize and digitize with edge-intensive applications globenewswire.com globenewswire.com. In summary, telecom-driven edge computing in mid-2025 is characterized by strong growth, ecosystem collaboration (alliances, open APIs), and a focus on integrating AI – all to enable new revenue-generating services on 5G networks.

Manufacturing & Industrial Edge

Manufacturing continues to be a key sector embracing edge computing as part of the Industry 4.0 revolution. In June 2025, multiple developments highlighted how industrial IoT and smart factory initiatives are leveraging edge processing to improve efficiency, reduce latency, and strengthen data control on the factory floor. A prime example is Rockwell Automation’s launch of the OptixEdge industrial gateway (June 27). This edge device is installed at machine level in factories to perform real-time data processing on production lines edgeir.com. By analyzing sensor and equipment data locally, it enables immediate insights (like spotting quality issues or optimizing machine settings) without needing to constantly stream data to the cloud. Rockwell integrated OptixEdge with its FactoryTalk Optix software, allowing collected data to be forwarded to cloud platforms for multi-site monitoring when needed, but crucially decisions can be made at the edge in milliseconds to keep production running optimally edgeir.com. The solution addresses common manufacturing IT challenges such as unreliable connectivity, security concerns over cloud reliance, and high bandwidth costs. According to Rockwell, only 44% of available operations data is currently utilized effectively in manufacturing – an issue that edge computing can help fix by filtering and acting on data at source edgeir.com. The OptixEdge has built-in tools for easy configuration and secure remote access (VPN), making it simpler for plant engineers to deploy. Rockwell’s messaging around this launch emphasized empowering manufacturers to “unlock valuable insights, improve efficiency, and drive innovation” by processing data on-site instead of letting it languish unused edgeir.com.

Beyond individual products, the manufacturing sector is seeing broader trends like modular edge infrastructure and edge AI for quality control. In Europe, the Siemens–Cadolto–Legrand modular edge data center (unveiled in Frankfurt) is aimed partly at manufacturing clients who need “IT on the factory floor”. These prefab data centers can be deployed at or near production sites to handle compute-intensive tasks (e.g. running AI vision systems for defect detection, or digital twin simulations) with minimal latency. Notably, they can be rented as needed, which is attractive for manufacturers wanting to scale up capacity without huge upfront investments edgeir.com. The modular units were designed with rugged environments in mind, meaning they can support both temporary deployments (like a pop-up factory line) or augment permanent facilities that require extra compute for AI/ML workloads.

Edge computing is also transforming industrial automation and control systems. In mid-June, Spectro Cloud integrated its Kubernetes-based management platform with NVIDIA’s AI stack (DOCA 3.0 and AI Enterprise suite) to streamline deployment of AI at the edge in telco and industrial scenarios edgeir.com edgeir.com. This kind of solution enables manufacturers to more easily run containerized applications – like predictive maintenance algorithms or computer vision – on distributed edge nodes close to machinery. It reflects a trend of bringing cloud-native tech (like Kubernetes and containers) into the operational technology (OT) realm on the factory floor.

Another notable area is edge AI for specialized industrial use cases. In agriculture (a subset of manufacturing/industrial sector), companies are applying edge computing to farming operations. A June 10 report described how Macso Technologies and Unigen partnered to introduce AI-powered livestock monitoring via on-premise edge servers edgeir.com edgeir.com. They developed an edge AI system for swine farms that uses local sensors and AI models to detect respiratory illnesses in pigs early, reducing mortality and antibiotic use. Unigen’s small-footprint AI server (nicknamed “Poundcake”) runs these models on-site, meaning farmers get real-time alerts without needing cloud connectivity edgeir.com edgeir.com. According to Unigen’s CEO Paul Heng, making AI inference affordable and keeping data on-prem helps bring advanced solutions to industries like agriculture that may lack robust internet – “we’re proud to help businesses adopt AI solutions that run locally, without relying on the cloud,” he said edgeir.com. This edge solution addresses a significant problem, as respiratory illnesses account for 60% of global pig deaths, and constant 24/7 monitoring at the edge can greatly improve animal health outcomes edgeir.com. It’s a good example of how edge AI is enabling IoT in environments (farms, remote industrial sites) where cloud connectivity can be intermittent or data needs to stay local for security.

In summary, the manufacturing and industrial domain is capitalizing on edge computing for real-time control, reduced downtime, and data sovereignty. Key trends include: deployment of edge gateways and micro data centers on-premises, integration of AI/ML at the edge for quality and predictive analytics, and the use of edge to bridge IT and OT (operational tech) systems. The ultimate goal is to build smarter factories (or farms, energy plants, etc.) that can operate more autonomously, safely, and efficiently. Analysts predict that as much as 75% of industrial enterprise data will be processed outside of central data centers by 2025 edgeir.com edgeir.com, supporting this shift. With vendors from OT giants (Rockwell, Siemens) to cloud-native startups all offering edge solutions, we can expect accelerated adoption in manufacturing through 2025 and beyond.

Automotive & Mobility

The automotive and transportation sector in mid-2025 is a hotbed for edge computing innovation, driven by the needs of connected cars, autonomous vehicles, and smart transportation infrastructure. A major focus is on Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications and safety applications leveraging edge networks. As mentioned under North America news, Verizon’s Edge Transportation Exchange is a prominent example: it uses 5G MEC nodes to allow vehicles, pedestrians, and traffic systems to share data with minimal latency on city roads edgeir.com. By processing this data at the edge of the mobile network, the platform can issue “vulnerable road user” alerts (e.g. warning a car of a pedestrian in a crosswalk ahead), real-time weather or road hazard warnings, and optimize traffic signals for flow and safety edgeir.com. The exchange is already being piloted in partnership with state authorities and universities in multiple states (Arizona, Delaware, New Jersey), showing real-world momentum. For automakers, tapping into edge platforms like this is key to advancing driver-assistance and eventually autonomous driving features. The platform’s virtualized approach – replacing physical roadside units with software on the network edge – also makes wide deployment more cost-effective for cities edgeir.com. This model aligns with trends in other countries too: in Europe, 5G corridors are being equipped with MEC to support Cooperative-Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS), and in China, the national C-V2X initiatives rely on edge computing at base stations to relay messages between vehicles and urban infrastructure in real time.

Apart from V2X safety, autonomous vehicles (AVs) themselves heavily depend on edge computing. Fully self-driving cars generate enormous data from LIDAR, cameras, and sensors – too much to send to cloud in real time. Instead, they need edge infrastructure both on-vehicle and in nearby road-side units to offload and process data quickly. Regions like Asia-Pacific are investing in this: for example, Japan and South Korea are building “MEC along highways” to assist autonomous cars, and the APAC edge data center report noted autonomous driving as a key use case benefiting from widespread edge nodes that provide millisecond latency globenewswire.com. We’re also seeing automakers forming alliances with telecom providers for this purpose. In Germany, for instance, BMW and Deutsche Telekom have trialed an edge-enabled hazard warning system that processes video from cars at a local telecom edge to inform other drivers of road hazards instantly.

Another fast-growing segment is drones and unmanned vehicles, which overlaps automotive and aerospace. June 2025 brought news of a partnership between Lantronix (an IoT/edge hardware provider) and Aerora (a drone AI company) to advance edge AI solutions for autonomous drones edgeir.com. The collaboration integrates Lantronix’s Open-Q system-on-module with Aerora’s AI visual navigation platform to create a robust on-board computing solution for drones edgeir.com. By equipping drones with high-performance edge AI (including thermal and optical sensors like the Teledyne FLIR cameras), they can perform tasks like obstacle avoidance, target recognition, and surveillance analysis locally, without needing constant remote control edgeir.com edgeir.com. This significantly reduces response time and can enable beyond-line-of-sight operations. Lantronix’s CEO, Saleel Awsare, commented that this “breakthrough in AI-driven solutions… opens new opportunities in both private and government sectors” for intelligent drones and robotics edgeir.com. Indeed, applications span infrastructure inspection, agriculture (crop monitoring), logistics (delivery drones), and public safety/security, all of which benefit from drones making decisions on-device via edge AI. Supporting this trend, the global drone market is forecast to reach $163.6 B by 2030 (15% CAGR) edgeir.com, propelled by these diverse use cases – many of which require real-time edge processing due to limited bandwidth or the need for autonomy.

Meanwhile, traditional automotive manufacturers are deploying edge computing inside factories (for vehicle production quality control via computer vision, etc.) and in dealerships (for predictive maintenance on connected vehicles). Edge computing in vehicles is also on the rise: modern cars are effectively edge computers on wheels, with powerful onboard processors (sometimes called “car edge” or vehicle servers) to run driver-assist algorithms, media, and V2X connectivity. Some car OEMs are working on platforms where vehicles can share compute resources with nearby infrastructure when parked – for example, a parked EV could lend processing power to a smart city edge network during downtime (a concept under exploration to utilize idle automotive CPUs).

In public transit and smart city transport, edge is enabling smart traffic lights, intelligent public transit (buses that communicate with edge hubs for timing and maintenance), and edge-based congestion analytics. The Luxembourg smart city pilot (SmartSpires) is one such case where edge nodes on smart towers manage mobility services in real time edgeir.com. And in the United Kingdom, a June update saw Verizon Business (through its Verizon Connect unit) and Nokia win a deal to deploy private 5G and edge at the Thames Freeport logistics hub, aiming to coordinate autonomous trucks and cranes with near-zero latency datacenterdynamics.com.

In summary, edge computing is increasingly critical to the automotive/mobility sector in two broad ways: (1) enabling connected and autonomous vehicle functionality (safety, navigation, and data processing), and (2) optimizing transportation infrastructure (smart roads, traffic management, drone corridors). These advancements ultimately improve road safety, reduce traffic congestion, and pave the way for fully autonomous mobility ecosystems. The expert consensus is that without edge computing, true self-driving cars and city-wide intelligent transport systems would not be feasible due to latency and bandwidth constraints numberanalytics.com. The innovations in June–July 2025 demonstrate significant progress toward that connected future on a global scale.

Healthcare & Smart Hospitals

Healthcare is rapidly emerging as a major adopter of edge computing, as hospitals and medical providers seek to leverage data-intensive innovations like telemedicine, AI diagnostics, and remote surgery without compromising on latency or data privacy. In mid-2025, “smart hospital” initiatives and 5G healthcare projects showcased the role of edge computing in patient care. A clear sign of this trend is the proliferation of on-premises edge servers in hospitals. Recent analyses show that as of 2024, at least 40% of top-tier hospitals in Asia-Pacific have deployed 5G-enabled edge computing servers to support AI-driven diagnostics and real-time medical imaging, cutting average processing delays by ~30% globenewswire.com. In North America, roughly 47% of newly built medical centers are now outfitting dedicated edge compute nodes, reducing the volume of raw data sent to cloud by ~35% and speeding up critical clinical decision-making globenewswire.com. This means nearly half of new hospitals are essentially building mini data centers at the edge of their networks (often within the hospital campus) to handle tasks like imaging analysis, patient monitoring data crunching, and electronic health record queries locally for faster response.

One high-profile example occurred in Finland earlier in 2025: Oulu University Hospital became Europe’s first to run a private 5G SA network with edge computing for clinical use rcrwireless.com. Using Nokia’s technology, the hospital connected surgeons with augmented reality (AR) glasses that display patient vitals and imaging in real-time during operations, powered by an on-site edge infrastructure rcrwireless.com rcrwireless.com. The edge network ensures ultra-reliable connectivity (even with redundancy for power outages) so that critical data is always accessible in operating theaters rcrwireless.com. Doctors and nurses can move throughout the hospital without losing connection, and can instantly retrieve patient records or live sensor data at the bedside. A lead surgeon involved noted that this has significantly improved workflow, as previously clinicians spent up to 50% of their time on computers – now much of that data access is seamlessly integrated into their wearable devices rcrwireless.com. Beyond AR-assisted surgery, the network is poised to support future innovations like AI-driven medical imaging analysis, robotic telerobotics (remote surgery), and telepresence training, all of which demand the low latency and high bandwidth that edge computing provides in-hospital rcrwireless.com.

Another cutting-edge use case is remote and robotic surgery. In June, at industry events, telecom vendors demonstrated how 5G and edge allow surgeons to operate robotic surgical tools from afar with imperceptible lag. For instance, Ericsson highlighted a successful trial where surgeons in one location performed telesurgery on patients thousands of kilometers away (e.g. Florida to Dubai) by leveraging a combination of 5G connectivity and edge nodes to minimize latency ericsson.com. While these were controlled demos, they underline the medical potential when network edge and advanced networking come together. The “Ericsson Imagine Live 2024” showcase included such remote surgery demos and also AR/VR in medical training using edge processing to render complex visuals in real-time techblog.comsoc.org.

In daily healthcare operations, edge computing is enhancing remote patient monitoring (RPM) and IoT medical devices. Many hospitals and clinics are deploying edge gateways that aggregate data from IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) devices – such as wearable heart monitors or smart infusion pumps – and perform initial processing/AI analysis on-site. This ensures alerts (e.g. a patient’s heart rate anomaly) can be generated immediately without waiting for cloud analytics. According to Juniper Research, smart hospitals globally are on track to deploy over 7.4 million connected medical IoT (IoMT) devices by 2026, a massive increase that will rely on edge and local networks to function reliably (Juniper cites that by then an average large hospital could have 2000+ IoT devices streaming data).

One particular area seeing benefit is AI diagnostics: for example, radiology departments are using edge servers with AI models to scan X-rays or MRIs for abnormalities as soon as images are taken, flagging urgent cases to radiologists. Keeping this processing at the hospital (rather than cloud) protects patient data and speeds up diagnosis. In June, UK’s NHS tested an edge AI system for stroke diagnosis that runs in ambulances – a portable edge device processes brain scan data in transit to identify strokes early, demonstrating how edge can even be mobile.

Privacy and data sovereignty are also drivers for healthcare edge adoption. Many countries (especially in Europe under GDPR, and parts of Asia) have strict regulations on health data leaving the premises. Edge computing allows sensitive data (like patient medical records or high-res imaging) to be stored and analyzed on-site or at least within country, rather than sending it to a global cloud, thus complying with privacy laws and alleviating security concerns.

From an industry outlook perspective, the 5G in healthcare market (which includes edge as a component) is forecast to explode. Research by Astute Analytica projects it will grow from $67.2 B in 2024 to $808.4 B by 2033 (a 31.8% CAGR) globenewswire.com. A major chunk of this growth is expected in hardware – including edge computing systems for hospitals – which constitutes ~71% of the market by component globenewswire.com. Top use cases are remote patient monitoring (RPM) and robotic/AR surgeries, both heavily reliant on edge/5G synergy globenewswire.com. Trends identified include rising use of private 5G networks in hospitals for data sovereignty and reliability, and partnerships between telecoms and healthcare providers to pilot new edge-enabled services globenewswire.com. For example, Verizon has a partnership with Emory Healthcare in the U.S. establishing a 5G and MEC-enabled innovation hub to test things like AR physical therapy and connected ambulances fiercehealthcare.com verizon.com. Indeed, Ericsson and Verizon recently powered an AR-assisted surgery at Emory using a local MEC node to render 3D imagery for surgeons linkedin.com linkedin.com – a milestone indicating how far edge tech has come in healthcare.

Overall, edge computing in healthcare is enhancing the speed and quality of patient care while maintaining security. Whether it’s a clinician in a smart hospital accessing AI insights instantly at the bedside, or a rural health clinic using an edge server to run tele-ultrasound scans without internet lag, the net effect is more timely, data-driven medical decisions. As one telehealth expert put it, near-real-time data via 5G/edge is letting doctors intervene “before acute episodes” occur, improving outcomes and reducing hospital readmissions by over 20% in early trials globenewswire.com. With numerous pilot programs converting into permanent deployments, we can expect smart hospitals and edge-powered healthcare services to become standard in the coming years.

Smart Cities & IoT

Smart cities represent an intersection of multiple domains (telecom, IoT, public services) and are a natural beneficiary of edge computing. In June–July 2025, smart city projects across the globe illustrated how pushing compute to the edge can enhance urban living – from traffic management and public safety to energy efficiency and governance. A flagship example is the SmartSpires project in Luxembourg’s Belval district, highlighted earlier. By installing local edge-enabled “smart towers” equipped with sensors and 5G small cells, the project can run AI applications for city management in real time edgeir.com. These include: intelligent mobility services (e.g. adaptive traffic lights and smart parking guidance), crowd analytics for public safety (using edge AI to detect anomalies or congestions in gatherings), smart waste management (optimize trash pickup routes via edge-processed fill level data), and a living lab environment to test new IoT solutions at city scale edgeir.com. The edge computing aspect means data from cameras, traffic sensors, etc., is processed locally in Belval – reducing latency (critical for something like detecting a dangerous crowd formation) and also keeping sensitive civic data within city infrastructure for governance reasons edgeir.com. The Luxembourg Minister’s remarks summed up the ethos: combining 5G + edge + AI not for tech’s sake, but to “improve lives, enhance sustainability, and shape smarter cities” that are more responsive to citizens’ needs edgeir.com.

Other cities in Europe are following similar paths: Barcelona, for instance, is extending its edge computing network (built initially for smart lighting and environmental sensors) to support real-time analysis for noise pollution mapping and even on-street computer vision to assist visually impaired pedestrians at crossings. The European Union is funding many such pilots via its Connecting Europe Facility and digital innovation programs. One EU initiative announced in late June was a call to establish “AI Gigafactories” by Q4 2025 – essentially large-scale AI and edge testbeds – which will likely bolster smart community applications digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu.

In Asia, smart city development is booming with edge computing as a key enabler. GITEX GLOBAL Asia 2025 (held in Singapore in June) convened hundreds of tech companies showcasing smart city solutions. Many centered on edge+5G: for example, Huawei demonstrated an integrated smart lamp post that includes a 5G micro edge node capable of hosting third-party IoT applications (like video analytics for traffic or weather monitoring), all on a streetside pole. India has over 100 Smart Cities mission projects, and in 2025 many are incorporating edge computing in areas like smart grids and surveillance. For instance, Bhubaneswar and Varanasi deployed edge-powered command centers that collect feeds from CCTV cameras citywide and analyze them on-site for incidents, rather than sending all footage to a distant cloud – this speeds up emergency response.

Edge computing is also crucial for smart utility management in cities. An update in June from a project in Belval, Luxembourg (as part of SmartSpires) indicated that edge controllers are being used to optimize energy usage in buildings on the campus, adjusting HVAC and lighting in real-time based on occupancy data processed locally (helping to reduce energy waste). Similarly, smart grid pilots in Japan and South Korea use substation edge computers to balance load and integrate renewable energy by reacting to grid sensor data instantly.

Public safety and city services are further areas where edge shines. Video surveillance systems in smart cities now often include edge AI devices (like NVIDIA Jetson or Intel Movidius-based units) attached to cameras to detect and flag events (accidents, fires, crimes) without streaming all video to a central server. In Dubai, which is expanding its Smart Dubai initiatives, authorities in 2025 started equipping police vehicles with edge AI units that can scan license plates and faces on the move, with all processing done within the vehicle for speed and privacy – only alerts are sent over the network.

One noteworthy concept gaining traction is “smart communities” at a smaller scale: for example, intelligent campuses or smart ports. In late June, Verizon and Nokia won a contract for a Freeport in the UK, as noted, to deploy private 5G and edge computing for automating port operations datacenterdynamics.com. This will essentially turn the port into a mini smart city, where cranes, trucks, and sensors communicate via an edge network to coordinate logistics efficiently.

Overall, the trend in smart cities is edge decentralization: rather than funneling every data point from thousands of IoT devices to a central cloud or data center, cities are adopting a distributed computing approach. They place computing power as close as possible to where data is generated – sometimes literally on the same street or building – to enable faster decision loops. This improves reliability (city services can continue even if the internet backhaul is down), and helps address privacy by processing personal data (like video or personal mobility data) within city-owned infrastructure.

Experts predict this approach will only grow. By 2025’s end, it’s expected that 75% of smart city data will be processed at the edge (either on-device or on local edge servers), a big jump from the mid-2010s when almost everything was cloud-processed edgeir.com. Market research accordingly forecasts the edge data center market (which includes a lot of smart city edge installations) to reach ~$109.8 B globally by 2034 edgecomputing-news.com, with public sector and smart city use cases being a significant component. The APAC region in particular is cited to have massive smart city projects driving edge demand – e.g. China’s new infrastructure plan invests heavily in city-level edge computing for applications like traffic AI and surveillance, as noted in the APAC section globenewswire.com.

In conclusion, smart cities and IoT deployments in 2025 are leveraging edge computing to become more responsive, efficient, and secure. From Western Europe to East Asia, city planners are recognizing that a robust edge infrastructure is as important as broadband connectivity for the next generation of urban services. As these pilots mature into permanent city systems, residents can expect improvements in everything from shorter commute times (thanks to smart traffic lights) to quicker emergency response and more sustainable energy usage – much of it made possible by those quiet but powerful computers at the network edge.

Market Forecasts and Outlook

The flurry of edge computing activity in mid-2025 is backed by bullish market forecasts from research firms, pointing to strong growth across various segments of the edge ecosystem. Below is a summary of key market outlooks and predictions released around June–July 2025:

Table: Key Edge Computing Market Forecasts (as of mid-2025). All projections indicate robust growth in edge infrastructure and related services, with especially high growth rates in MEC and edge AI segments, fueled by 5G rollouts, enterprise digitalization, and latency-sensitive applications.

These figures reflect consensus that the second half of this decade will see explosive expansion of edge computing globally. Notably, IDC’s analysis on global spending (released in late 2024) anticipates over $261 B in edge spending in 2025, climbing to nearly $378 B by 2028 my.idc.com idc.com. This sustained double-digit growth is attributed to enterprises increasingly processing data at the edge (IDC expects 75% of enterprise data will be created and processed at the edge by 2025 edgeir.com). The edge data center sub-sector is growing particularly fast in Asia-Pacific (as shown by the 18% CAGR to 2034 forecast globenewswire.com), where large investments in telecom and smart cities are underway.

Another data point: North America currently leads in edge spending (IDC pegged NA at ~36% of the global edge market in 2024 globenewswire.com), thanks to early adoption in retail, manufacturing and defense. However, China and broader APAC are quickly catching up – for instance, China’s government has targets for deploying hundreds of edge nodes across urban areas as part of its 14th Five-Year Plan, and industry surveys there show strong edge uptake in sectors like fintech and e-commerce.

The MEC market forecast from SNS (nearly $122 B by 2032 globenewswire.com) also underscores that telecom-oriented edge (providing cloud capabilities within telecom networks) will be a huge area of growth. The fact that software and services dominate MEC revenues (over 40% share in 2023 globenewswire.com) indicates a lot of value in orchestration platforms and edge applications – suggesting opportunities for software vendors and startups, not just hardware players.

In the edge AI realm, $157 B by 2030 is notable edgeir.com – edge AI includes both devices (chips, embedded systems) and software (AI models optimized for edge). This is being propelled by use cases like computer vision on the edge (in retail, industry), natural language processing in edge devices, and the need for data privacy (doing AI inference on device instead of sending data to cloud). The Edge AI growth aligns with what we’ve seen: partnerships like Supermicro–Ericsson for edge AI, Lantronix–Aerora for drone AI, and Ori’s AI infrastructure, all point to significant investment in making AI work at the edge.

One challenge noted by analysts is ensuring ROI for edge deployments. In a guest analysis on June 25, DataBank’s COO Joe Minarik argued that “population density – not just latency – is the key to edge computing ROI” edgeir.com. He pointed out that hyperscale cloud providers often avoid dense urban centers due to cost, leaving a gap that edge data center providers can fill by colocating infrastructure within high-density cities edgeir.com edgeir.com. His piece cited that the global edge computing market revenue could increase nearly tenfold from 2023 to 2030 (from $16.45B to $155.9B) edgeir.com, which requires new strategies like targeting under-served urban areas and multi-tenant economics to succeed. This suggests that edge companies focusing on metro locations and shared infrastructure (colocation) will be well-positioned, versus trying to replicate hyperscalers’ large but remote data centers.

In terms of investment and M&A, the first half of 2025 saw numerous funding deals: e.g. Cologix raised $1.5B in late 2024 to expand edge data centers in North America edgeir.com; European cloud startup NexGen Cloud raised $45M to build sovereign AI/edge infrastructure in April 2025 edgeir.com; and Saudi Aramco’s investment in Ori (Feb 2025) to fuel Middle East edge growth edgeir.com. Analysts expect consolidation in the edge space as well – larger cloud providers might acquire edge specialists to bolster their hybrid offerings (there were rumors in June that a major U.S. data center REIT was eyeing an edge computing startup for acquisition).

Finally, industry experts foresee that edge computing will increasingly be integrated with other tech trends – notably 5G (as we’ve covered), AI/ML, and Web3/Metaverse. For example, delivering rich metaverse experiences may require edge rendering nodes in cities to overcome latency for AR/VR users. The boom in generative AI is also influencing edge: some AI inference will move toward edge devices for privacy and efficiency (leading to new markets for AI accelerators and TinyML software).

Overall, the market outlook through 2025 and beyond is very optimistic, with edge computing moving from niche use cases to a mainstay of IT strategy for companies and governments alike. The forecasts highlight that we are in the midst of an edge computing boom, set to transform how data is handled across industries.

Expert Commentary & Insights

Industry experts and leaders provided valuable commentary during this period, offering perspective on the evolving edge computing landscape:

• Roger Cummings (CEO of PEAK:AIO) – In a June 30 EdgeIR guest post, Cummings emphasized that AI’s growth is pushing infrastructure to the edge. While hype often centers on big AI models, “the real challenges now lie in the infrastructure that powers it all,” he noted edgeir.com. He pointed out that AI workloads increasingly strain back-end systems, and traditional IT infrastructure can’t keep up – not due to lack of GPU compute, but due to data bandwidth and latency bottlenecks in storage and networks edgeir.com. To address this, he sees a new class of “AI-native, modular” infrastructure emerging, with an emphasis on near-data and edge deployments. In particular, industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and energy are moving data processing closer to where data is generated: “AI is expanding closer to the edge… the need to process data locally is increasing” to reduce latency and protect sensitive information edgeir.com. Cummings advocates modular, distributed designs (over monolithic data centers) to align infrastructure growth with AI demand, hinting that organizations and even nations (with concepts like “Sovereign AI”) will invest in localized edge infrastructure for autonomy and control edgeir.com.
• Joe Minarik (COO of DataBank) – Minarik’s June 25 analysis in EdgeIR tackled the economics of edge computing. He argued that “location, location, location” is as crucial to edge data center success as it is in real estate edgeir.com. While historically latency was the main selling point, he believes population density is now the key factor for ROI edgeir.com. Hyperscale cloud providers have largely built in rural/suburban areas to achieve scale, leaving dense urban markets relatively under-served due to high costs edgeir.com. This opens an opportunity for edge providers: by using colocation, multi-tenant models, they can economically justify smaller data centers within cities, bringing compute proximate to large user bases edgeir.com. Minarik cited projections of a ~10x increase in global edge market revenue by 2030 edgeir.com, and 75% of new data being created outside core data centers by 2025 edgeir.com, to illustrate that demand is booming. But capitalizing on it requires new strategy – focusing on “population proximity” to deliver high-performance experiences (for example, targeting second-tier cities or metro areas where latency and localized processing can truly add value, like real-time gaming or AR in city centers). His insight essentially reframes edge ROI: it’s not just about shaving off milliseconds, but about serving concentrated user clusters efficiently, which in turn drives revenue for edge services.
• Elisabeth Margue (Luxembourg Minister Delegate for Connectivity) – Speaking at the SmartSpires smart city launch, Minister Margue highlighted the societal impact of edge technology: “This initiative [smart city edge deployment]… is more about improving lives, enhancing sustainability, and shaping how cities can evolve in a more intelligent and responsive way” edgeir.com. Her comment reflects a public sector viewpoint that edge computing (combined with 5G and IoT) is a means to an end – that end being better public services and quality of life. By integrating “cutting-edge 5G connectivity, peripheral computing, and AI”, cities can become living labs that test solutions for traffic, safety, and environmental challenges in real time edgeir.com. Such high-level endorsement from government officials signals strong policy support in Europe for edge-powered smart city infrastructure, with likely ripple effects (funding, regulatory facilitation) that will encourage more projects.
• Shamik Basu (VP, Verizon Business IoT & Connectivity) – Basu’s quote on the launch of Verizon’s V2X edge platform succinctly captured the automotive edge vision: “Cars are evolving from mechanical vehicles to software-defined mobile devices… Edge [technology] gives a robust platform for building out the cellular-connected future of transportation” edgeir.com. This underscores a telecom perspective that connected cars are essentially IoT devices on wheels requiring ubiquitous, reliable edge connectivity. By emphasizing “visibility and reliability for all road users”, Basu hints at the collaborative nature of these platforms – bringing together automakers, governments, and tech developers. His comment also validates the approach of using mobile edge compute (MEC) to solve V2X challenges, which could persuade more stakeholders (car manufacturers, smart city planners) to invest in or partner on such edge deployments. It’s a notable endorsement of edge’s role in achieving the vision of safer, smarter roads.
• Mory Lin (VP IoT & Edge, Supermicro) – Lin provided insight on enterprise edge adoption across sectors through the Ericsson–Supermicro partnership: “Enterprises can harness the power of AI at the edge… [Our solution] will allow them to extend AI applications where wired technologies are not viable, such as smart intersections, industrial manufacturing, and remote infrastructure” edgeir.com. This comment highlights practical limitations (like wiring/fiber constraints) that edge wireless solutions overcome, and it enumerates multiple verticals – smart cities (intersections), manufacturing, utilities (remote infrastructure) – where edge + 5G can unlock new use cases. It conveys confidence that pre-validated edge hardware + 5G can simplify and accelerate enterprise deployments. Lin’s mention of “cutting-edge solutions” and “transformative impact” edgeir.com (from a separate context on drone AI) reflects how solution providers are pitching edge as not just incremental improvement but enabling previously impossible innovations (e.g. autonomous drones, fully automated factories).
• Mahdi Yahya (CEO of Ori) – On receiving investment to expand in the Middle East, Yahya said, “This partnership… aligns with our vision to provide end-to-end AI infrastructure for innovators around the world” edgeir.com. Ori’s focus is on AI at the edge for industries like oil & gas, smart cities, healthcare, and Yahya’s comment indicates that supporting localized AI processing is crucial for these sectors. By calling out end-to-end AI infrastructure, he implies that a seamless integration from cloud to edge to devices is what will drive adoption. His excitement also signals how regional funding (like Aramco’s) is boosting edge computing in new markets, presumably bringing localized expertise and context (e.g. catering to Arabic language AI or desert environmental conditions for hardware) – an angle often echoed by entrepreneurs that edge solutions must be tailored to local needs even as they maintain global scale.

Across these commentaries, a few common themes emerge: the centrality of AI in driving edge adoption, the importance of localization (whether by geography, population, or use-case) for edge value, and a recognition that edge is becoming a strategic imperative (for enterprises to remain efficient, for cities to remain livable, for telcos to find new revenue, etc.). The experts stress that edge computing is no longer experimental – it’s solving real problems today (from farm disease to traffic deaths) and those successes are fueling further confidence and investment in edge technologies.

Sources: The information in this report is compiled from a range of credible sources including industry news outlets, company press releases, and research reports published in June and early July 2025. Key references include Edge Industry Review (EdgeIR) for daily edge computing news edgeir.com edgeir.com, press releases via GlobeNewswire on market forecasts globenewswire.com globenewswire.com, analyses from technology executives edgeir.com edgeir.com, and announcements from major companies and consortiums (Verizon, Ericsson, Cloudera, Rockwell, etc.) edgeir.com edgeir.com. These have been cited throughout the text with inline source links for verification and further reading. The convergence of insights from these sources provides a comprehensive overview of the edge computing landscape as it stood in June–July 2025.