The release of next-generation video game consoles will spur interactive entertainment software sales from $18 billion in 2004 to $26 billion in 2010, according to a forecast from San Diego-based market research firm DFC Intelligence. While the firm believes Sony's PlayStation 3 will maintain the company's lead in the market, DFC predicts that Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's "Revolution" will increase the company's respective market shares. "The next generation of console systems will connect to broadband networks right out of the box and this should significantly expand revenue possibilities," said DFC president David Cole. "With a true worldwide marketplace and increasing ownership of multiple systems, this is not a winner take all situation. Instead it is about how profits can be maximized across the unique installed base of different console, portable, PC and location-based platforms."
The importance of data in today's business landscape fundamentally reshapes how CIOs invest in their IT infrastructure. A recent International Data Corporation ( IDC ) market study highlights this trend, revealing insights into spending patterns. The study indicates that structured database and data management workloads are the largest spending category within enterprise IT infrastructure. This is unsurprising, considering the foundational role these workloads play in managing digital business data. However, IDC's worldwide market study also sheds light on a noteworthy shift – spending in some categories witnessed a slight decline in 2023 compared to 2022. Data Workload Market Development This dip could be attributed to several factors. Organizations might optimize their existing data management processes, potentially leveraging more efficient storage solutions or cloud-based data management services. Additionally, the rise of alternative data sources, such as unstructured and