Digital Lifescapes

While the consumer metaverse growth potential has attracted much of the media attention, it's the commercial apps growth trajectory that has gained the focus of savvy IT vendors. The enterprise metaverse opportunity  -- including immersive collaboration, digital twin, and simulation software and services revenue -- will approach $60 billion in revenue by 2030. Additional revenue from the augmented and virtual reality market would add billions in new growth for software and services. Enterprise Metaverse Market Development "The metaverse, being a long-term vision, means the buildup to this future is just as intriguing as the final product, and in this regard, it is the enterprise markets that are leading ahead of the consumer segment," said Michael Inouye, principal analyst at ABI Research . For example, efforts on the standardization front are being driven through the enterprise space. The Digital Twin Consortium directly targets industrial, while the Metaverse Standards ...

Many CIOs and CTOs are pursuing a competitive advantage that's enabled by emerging technologies. As an example, early-adopters in the automobile industry are exploring use cases with Augmented Reality (AR), because it offers benefits to the whole value chain -- from product design through production and sales. As a result, smart glasses shipment for global automotive industry use will reach 1.7 million units in 2022. The total automotive AR market is expected to grow at CAGR of 177 percent during the forecast period and reach $5.5 billion in 2022, according to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research. Augmented Reality Apps Market Development "Augmented Reality benefits automotive manufacturers at many stages of a product cycle, including design, prototyping, manufacturing, and marketing," said Marina Lu, senior analyst at ABI Research . In design, digital 3D visualization and analysis of body structure and components can save time and resources. Collabor...

The traditional printer market has been turbulent during the last few years, due to shrinking demand and vendor consolidation. However, the upside for 3D printing is a bright spot. Canalys predicts that the worldwide market for 3D printers, and associated materials and services will reach a value of $4.9 billion by the end of 2016. The total market is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43.5 percent from 2015 to 2020 -- reaching a value of $22.4 billion. Shipments of 3D printers are forecast to grow at a CAGR of 67.2 percent -- to reach 2.4 million units by 2020. Worldwide, vendors shipped 182,000 3D printers in 2015, a 37 percent year-on-year increase, with strong performances in both the enterprise and consumer sectors. That being said, challenges remain as the market evolves. The market continues to have mixed results, from a growth perspective. While industrial expenditure on 3D printers fell, educational establishments ordered thousands of systems ...

An increasing trend toward personal manufacturing and small scale production is leading to incremental growth for three-dimensional (3D) printing technology across the globe. Furthermore, there has been an increase in interest with the development of heterogeneous material manufacturing capability, according the latest worldwide market study by Frost & Sullivan. Significant new opportunities have emerged with prototyping technologies, with 3D printing gaining momentum across various industries -- from printing a mobile phone cover to reconstructing human organs. Emerging as a technology of choice for a wide range of applications, 3D printing is expected to increase its market share rapidly by about 40 percent during 2015. Frost & Sullivan finds that personal manufacturing and small scale production is already starting to pave the way for further 3D printing adoption. Plus, combined with the automobile and aerospace industries, consumer goods manufacturing and healthcare...

Three-dimensional (3D) printers, with the ability to print a variety of objects, have evolved significantly and are currently used for industrial and consumer prototype design applications. With use cases ranging from high-end industrial devices to children's toys, consumer 3D printing is witnessing an increased visibility among the do-it-yourself (DIY) and other early-adopter communities. New market study findings from Juniper Research reveal that the combined market value from consumer 3D Printer hardware sales and material spend is forecast to exceed the $1 billion mark by 2018, compared to just over $75 million this year. While 3D printer shipments are at relatively low levels, representing a limited opportunity in the medium term, Juniper expects them to increase significantly beyond the 5 year period. Industry leaders, including 3D Systems and Stratasys, confirmed a stronger demand for professional 3D printers and materials compared to a softer consumer demand. Howeve...

Three-dimensional (3D) printers, with the ability to print a variety of objects, have evolved significantly over the past few years and are currently re-shaping the future for industrial and consumer applications. With the ability to print solid objects ranging from high-end mechanical devices to a variety of children's toys, consumer 3D printing has gained early adoption among the do-it-yourself and hobbyist communities. Findings from the latest market study by Juniper Research reveal that sales of consumer-grade 3D printers will exceed 1 million units by 2018, rising from just over an estimated 44,000 this year. While shipments of 3D printers are at relatively low levels, representing a limited opportunity in the medium term, Juniper expects them to increase significantly beyond the five-year period. This will be a result of an ever widening scope of application scenarios, driven by the entry and growth of the more established printing vendors. This, in turn ,will likely ...

Despite a seven percent year-over-year dip in global TV shipments, retail sales in North America have been steady and unit shipments were up by almost 3 percent in the third quarter of 2012 -- after posting small declines in the first half of 2012. The trend in the U.S. market has been toward bigger and less expensive TVs, which is expected to be the focus during the holiday season. "Inventory has been building overtime to a level that will satisfy the demand," said Paul Gagnon, director of global TV research at NPD DisplaySearch . The following is a summary of the findings from the latest NPD DisplaySearch market study. Worldwide TV shipments fell on a Y/Y basis for the fourth straight quarter, as demand in Japan and Western Europe fell sharply. TV shipments in Japan were down over 70 percent Y/Y for the second quarter in a row, while Western Europe shipments fell more than 15 percent. Flat panel TV growth in emerging regions were lower than expected, especially in...

According to the latest market study by ABI Research, by the end of 2012, almost 20 percent of annual smartphone shipments will include facial recognition capabilities to enhance the user experience. Five years from now, shipments of smartphones and media tablets with the new technology embedded will increase to 665 million annually. Currently, only Google Android (Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean) mobile operating systems support the facial recognition capability in significant volumes. The Samsung Galaxy SIII is one of the most notable smartphones to feature the facial recognition technology. However, ABI believes that over the next two to three years, many more software operating systems and mobile OEMs will incorporate the technology. Facial recognition has been on the mobile device manufacturer technology radar for some time. It was developed in the 1960s by three scientists: Woody Bledsoe, Helen Chan Wolf, and Charles Bisson. Historically, the major challenge for the ...

Shipments of LCD TVs are now expected to grow at a slower pace in 2012 than 2011, according to the latest market study by NPD DisplaySearch . Moreover, the overall TV set market is expected to decline this year -- even as segments such as emerging markets, large screen sizes, LED backlights, and 3D continue to grow. Total TV shipments are forecast to fall 1.4 percent in 2012 to 245 million units, while LCD TV is expected to increase by 5 percent — compared to 7 percent growth in 2011 — reaching 216 million units. The decline in overall TV market demand and the slower growth in LCD TV shipments can be attributed to the slower rate of price erosion and cautious spending by consumers in Europe and Asia. Average LCD TV selling prices are only expected to decline 4 percent in 2012 compared with 6 percent erosion in 2011 and 10 percent erosion in 2010. The growth is also slower this year as the transition to digital broadcasting, which accelerated purchases in major markets over the pa...

The upcoming summer Olympic Games in London, England will set a precedent for the use and application of advanced digital technology -- that's from the perspective of both multimedia content producers and consumers. The BBC says that London 2012 will be the first truly digital Games. They will ensure audiences never miss a moment, delivering unprecedented coverage across multiple digital platforms -- so that sports fans can stay up to date wherever they are, whenever they want to view the action. The BBC will give audiences more choice, with access to: Every Olympic event, sport and venue live, on-demand and interactive on bbc.co.uk/sport , with up to 24 live HD streams and 2,500 hours of coverage. Pages for every athlete, sport, venue and country, enabling detailed access to real-time updated Olympics data, statistics and news. High quality coverage that’s personal and social, enabling audiences to follow and favorite every athlete, sport, event and country and get tailore...

According to the latest market study by DisplaySearch , television set shipments fell almost 8 percent worldwide year-on-year in the first quarter of 2012 -- that's the steepest rate of decline since the second quarter of 2009. Total TV shipments for the quarter were 51 million units. The biggest contributor to the decline was a slowdown in shipments of LCD TVs, which fell year-on-year for the first time in the history of the category -- declining just over 3 percent, to 43 million units. "Soft demand and cautious expectations about the upcoming year in many parts of the TV supply chain have led to a slowdown in shipments," noted Paul Gagnon, NPD DisplaySearch Director of North America TV Research. LCD TV shipment share fell slightly from Q4’11, but is up four percentage points from a year ago, to 84.2 percent. LCD TV is capturing market share at 40” and larger screen sizes because of a sharp decline in plasma TV demand. The average LCD TV screen size increased 5 ...

The implementation of 3D on mobile devices, such as smartphones and media tablets, is still in its infancy and requires a much more advanced technical solution for both viewing 3D and capturing 3D. However, the tremendous size of the mobile applications and entertainment market is driving the industry to overcome some of the current technical limitations. 3D displays are still evolving, while image sensors are benefiting from a TAM that is likely to triple by 2015, and the processing solutions are already on a roadmap that will support the increasing demands of 3D. According to the latest market study by In-Stat , the total number of 3D mobile devices will surpass 148 million units in 2015. "Despite the advances in the technology, adoption of 3D in mobile devices is still likely to be relatively slow due to limitations in content, the potential of eye strain and headaches from viewing 3D content by some, and the additional cost for 3D content and devices," says Jim Mc...

The early expectations of 3D TV were clearly exaggerated, while current press coverage laments the fact that 3D television has not lived up to its promise. The reality is somewhere between the two extremes. 3D channels have been launched in North America, Europe, and Asia in 2010. More will come in 2011. In addition to linear TV channels, 3D content is being made widely available on pay-TV providers VOD systems. Those who are experimenting with 3D VOD now are expected to make linear 3D channels available as well. The result is an anticipated increase in the number of 3D TV channels to over 100 by 2015, according to the latest market study by In-Stat . "Pay-TV providers around the globe who have HD systems in place have jumped on the 3D content being made available to them at a faster rate than many had expected," says Michelle Abraham, Principal Analyst at In-Stat. Many took advantage of the World Cup 3D coverage to test transmission of 3D over their networks, and som...

3D television continues to gain traction in key markets, with nearly 15 million U.S. homes forecast to own a 3DTV set by the end of next year, according to the latest market study by Futuresource Consulting . 3DTV emerged early in 2010 with manufacturers quickly engaging in a battle for market supremacy. The price premium for the 3D feature has already reduced quite sharply and the well known-brands are now incorporating 3D in more and more of their TV and BD model ranges. The year finished on a positive note for manufacturers, with strong sales during the final quarter. However, 3D content was unable to keep pace with consumer expectations, creating a lack of packaged 3D content at retail. "Limited retail content availability has placed greater importance on the role of the broadcast segment as a key 3D content source," says Fiona Hoy, Market Analyst at Futuresource Consulting. Although early broadcast services struggled to provide the breadth and quality of viewing ...

3DTV prices have fallen by close to 40 percent in some cases, and adoption of 3DTV is occurring at a faster rate in most territories than it did for high-definition television (HDTV), according to the latest market study by Futuresource Consulting . Futuresource expects global sales of 3DTVs to exceed four million this year. Across Western Europe alone, 1.2 million 3DTVs will be sold, rising to more than three million in 2011. In the U.S. market, more than five million 3DTVs will be sold next year. "3DTV will continue to provide premium brand CE manufacturers with a way to differentiate themselves from the competition and add value for consumers," says Bill Foster, Senior Technology Consultant at Futuresource Consulting. For systems that use active glasses technology, manufacturers are now able to embed 3D chipsets at a relatively low cost, allowing them to increase their margins while still keeping 3D affordable. Passive glasses technology, as used in cinemas, is sti...

The major Hollywood movie studios are already taking 3D content from cinemas to the home as TV manufacturers ship increasing numbers of 3D-ready TV sets. While these efforts are aimed at the consumer home theater environment, the trend is enabling the next evolution -- 3D video on mobile devices. In-Stat anticipates that the number of 3D-enabled mobile devices shipped in 2014 will surpass 60 million units. "Due to advancements in auto-stereoscopic 3D technology, a type of 3D technology that does not require glasses to view 3D images, 3D technology is finding its way into mobile devices," says Stephanie Ethier, Senior Analyst at In-Stat. The more predictable viewing distance of mobile devices enables a compelling and convenient 3D experience. Additionally, many of the chipsets found in today's smartphones have the processing power to handle 3D content. Therefore, according to In-Stat's assessment, the smartphones promise the largest opportunity for mobile 3...