Digital Lifescapes

All consumer electronics devices eventually reach market saturation, where most of the people that crave the product already have it. After declining by 0.3 percent in 2017, the worldwide smartphone market will shrink again this year. Smartphone shipments are forecast to drop by 0.2 percent in 2018 to 1.462 billion units, which is down from 1.465 billion in 2017 and 1.469 billion in 2016. However, IDC expects the market to grow by 3 percent annually from 2019 onwards. Worldwide shipments should reach 1.654 billion in 2022 -- that's a five year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5 percent. Smartphone Market Development The biggest driver of the 2017 shipment downturn was the saturated market in China, which saw its smartphone market decline 4.9 percent year-over-year. Tough times are expected to continue in 2018, as IDC forecasts consumption in China to decline another 7.1 percent before flattening out in 2019. The biggest upside potential in Asia-Pacific continues to b...

The online tracking of trailers, containers, rail wagons and cargo boxes is becoming increasingly common in all markets across the globe. New technology, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain, will enable more secure automation of this activity. Berg Insight released the findings from their latest global market study. The number of active tracking devices deployed for cargo loading units -- including trailers, intermodal containers, rail freight wagons, air cargo containers, cargo boxes and pallets -- reached 3.7 million worldwide in 2017. Market Development of Cargo Tracking Devices Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.6 percent, the number of devices is expected to reach 8.9 million by 2022, according to the Berg Insight forecast. Based upon the current assessment, the tracking solutions market will greatly benefit from a digital transformation. Trailer telematics is the most developed market today, however in terms of installed units the interm...

Savvy communication service provider CIOs and CTOs have abandoned the past -- where they would align their new technology infrastructure investments with traditional IT and networking equipment vendors. In hindsight, the status-quo disruption was somewhat inevitable. Today, 77 percent of all telecom service providers will now require some level of digital transformation over the next three years, to meet the changing market needs in their franchise area and to remain competitive, according to the latest worldwide market study by 451 Research. Telecom Transformation Market Development Specifically, service providers are challenged by IT and networking automation, scalability and reliability issues. But they're not alone. Traditional technology hardware and software vendors will also have to compete with the public cloud providers, as service providers consider hyperscalers for their next compute and storage purchases, since many enterprises are moving workloads off-premises. ...

Across the globe, most wireline service providers operate in a monopoly or duopoly environment where competition is limited and somewhat predictable. The prior limitations of wireless broadband internet access have not impacted the wireline status-quo. That could change. The worldwide fixed wireless broadband access market has been growing steadily over the past several years. ABI Research now forecasts that the market will grow by 30 percent in 2018 and will generate $18 billion in service revenue. That being said, let's explore the market dynamics. Wireless Broadband Market Development As 5G fixed wireless broadband access is about to be launched in North America during 2018, it's likely to expand and provide some telecom service provider customers with better quality service in the years to come. Today, LTE is the most widely used technology to provide fixed wireless broadband service across the world. Fixed LTE is mainly deployed for residential broadband service in...

Strategic investment in business technology is led by CIOs and CTOs that launch new digital transformation initiatives. Those digital growth plans result in the modernization of IT infrastructure. However, an internal IT staff skills shortfall will continue to fuel demand for more savvy and experienced digital business talent. Worldwide revenues for IT Services and Business Services totaled $502 billion in the second half of 2017 (2H17) -- that's an increase of 3.6 percent year-over-year (in constant currency), according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). Digital Business Services Market Development "As customers look to digital transformation initiatives to stay relevant in the new economy, vendors face both opportunities and challenges," said Xiao-Fei Zhang, program director at IDC . "While automation and new cloud delivery models reduce overall price, new digital services will require clients to spend more time and resources ...

More CIOs and CTOs are exploring the commercial value of intelligent systems that can enhance their organization's performance. Global business value from artificial intelligence (AI) is forecast to total $1.2 trillion in 2018 -- that's an increase of 70 percent from 2017, according to the latest market study by Gartner. Moreover, AI-derived business value is forecast to reach $3.9 trillion in 2022. According to the Gartner assessment, there are three different sources of AI business value: Customer experience: The positive or negative effects on indirect cost. Customer experience is a necessary precondition for widespread adoption of AI technology to both unlock its full potential and enable value. New revenue: Increasing sales of existing products and services, and/or creating new product or service opportunity beyond the existing situation. Cost reduction: Reduced costs incurred in producing and delivering those new or existing products and services. AI Technology ...

As more companies use technology innovation to improve their scale, automation and robotics continue to generate interest among investors. Mapping and software development have significant potential, particularly as most business leaders seek to digitize their commercial operations. This trend will continue for some time. Consulting on the various types of new technology tools will also likely be an area to follow in the near future, according to the latest worldwide market study by Mergermarket . Technology, Media & Telecom Market Development Moreover, emerging applications for artificial intelligence (AI) are in vogue, and China has emerged as a potential leader in this space, with dealmakers looking to invest in startups specializing in this area. Until the Facebook data protection issue became public knowledge in mid-March, first-quarter (Q1) 2018 activity within the global Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) sector as a whole was experiencing a boost from ...

Worldwide information and communications technology (ICT) spending -- including new technologies -- is expected to exceed $5.6 trillion in 2021 with growth accelerating through the end of the forecast period, according to the latest worldwide market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). By 2021, new technologies, including Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, robots and drones, augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) headsets, and 3D printers, will account for almost a quarter (23 percent) of total ICT spending. ICT Market Development Overall, new technology investments -- including the four pillars of cloud, mobile, big data analytics, and social -- will make up more than 70 percent of worldwide ICT spending. IDC reports that the fastest-growing technology markets last year were AR/VR, cognitive and artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing, and robotics. Meanwhile, IoT has already grown to account for 15 percent of ICT spending, including new operational technol...

The money transfer segment of the commercial financial services sector is vast, with transactions taking place on both a domestic and international cross-border basis. A recent Juniper Research market study found that global cross-border B2B money transfers totalled $136 trillion in 2017. Yet, to date, the B2B money transfer industry has not experienced the start-up innovation and disruption like other areas in the finance and commerce space. That being said, we can anticipate that 2018 will be pivotal, as more fintech entrepreneurs pursue this previously untapped opportunity. B2B Money Transfer Market Development New study findings have concluded that the cross-border B2B money transfer market is ripe for disruption, as new technologies and legislative changes redefine traditional banking practices across the globe. Cross-border B2B transactions will exceed $218 trillion by 2022, up from $150 trillion this year. In comparison, global GDP was placed at just $77 trillion last ye...

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...

Around the globe, CIOs and CTOs continue to transition to a hybrid multi-cloud service delivery model, supported by on- and off-premises IT infrastructure. Meanwhile, the worldwide public cloud services market is projected to grow 21.4 percent in 2018 to reach $186.4 billion -- that's up from $153.5 billion in 2017. The fastest-growing segment of the market is cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), which is forecast to grow 35.9 percent in 2018 to reach $40.8 billion, according to the latest worldwide market study by Gartner. Public Cloud Market Development Moreover, Gartner expects the top ten cloud service providers to account for nearly 70 percent of the IaaS market by 2021 -- that's up from 50 percent in 2016. "The increasing dominance of the hyperscale IaaS providers creates both enormous opportunities and challenges for end-users and other market participants," said Sid Nag, research director at Gartner . According to the Gartner assessment, while p...

Cloud service adoption continues to grow, as traditional IT vendors react to market demand. Total spending on IT infrastructure products for deployment in cloud environments is forecast to reach $52.3 billion in 2018 -- that's year-over-year growth of 10.9 percent, according to the latest worldwide market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). Public cloud data centers will account for a majority of this spending, 65.9 percent, growing at the fastest annual rate of 11.3 percent. Off-premises private cloud environments will represent 13 percent of cloud IT infrastructure spending, growing at 12 percent year over year. On-premises private clouds will account for 61.7 percent of spending on private cloud IT infrastructure and will grow 9.1 percent year-over-year in 2018. Cloud IT Infrastructure Market Development "Growing expansion of digital transformation initiatives enables further adoption of cloud-based solutions around the globe. This will result in a contin...

The online security market is expanding globally, and for good reason. The dramatic increase in connected devices has created a huge attack surface for cyber criminals. Whether their motive is mischief, or theft, the impacts can be far-reaching and very costly. As an example, the downtime cost on Amazon’s North American sales operations as a result of the 2016 'Dyn' cyberattack -- ~211 minutes of service disruption -- resulted in a loss of $32 million. Most companies don't have the same eCommerce revenue as Amazon, but this event demonstrates the impact a cyberattack can have on targeted companies. Cybersecurity Solution Market Development Global business investment on cybersecurity solutions will grow by 33 percent over the next 4 years, reaching $134 billion annually by 2022, according to the latest worldwide study by Juniper Research. Their new research analysis found that nearly 70 percent of 2022 spending would originate from medium-sized businesses, as cyber...

In the evolving global networked economy, every type of company essentially becomes a technology-oriented firm -- in one form or another. That's fueling the strategic investment in IT infrastructure and services. Currency market changes are another key factor. As a result, worldwide IT spending is projected to total $3.7 trillion in 2018 -- that's an increase of 6.2 percent from 2017, according to the latest market study by Gartner. Senior executives and line of business leaders continue to drive many of the strategic IT procurement decisions. IT Infrastructure Market Development "Although global IT spending is forecast to grow 6.2 percent this year, the declining U.S. dollar has caused currency tailwinds, which are the main reason for this strong growth," said John-David Lovelock, vice president at Gartner . This is the highest annual growth rate that Gartner has forecast since 2007 and would be a sign of a new cycle of IT growth. However, spending on IT arou...

Worldwide converged systems market revenue increased 9.1 percent year-over -year to $3.6 billion during the fourth quarter of 2017 (4Q17), according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). Full-year sales surpassed $12.5 billion in 2017, representing a 9.4 percenet increase over the previous year and the first time the market surpassed $12 billion in a calendar year. Converged Systems Market Development "The number of organizations deploying converged systems continued to expand through 2017," said Eric Sheppard, research vice president at IDC . Growing demand drove the total market value. While not all market segments increased during the year, those that did grow were able to provide considerable benefits related to the most core infrastructure challenges facing today's data centers. IDC's converged systems market view offers three segments: certified reference systems & integrated infrastructure, integrated platforms, and h...

While most telecom service providers across the globe continue to invest in software-defined networking and open source software, a few are now investing in the new wave of technologies. In particular, technology leadership is a key component in China's strategic plan to stimulate new economic growth. In its latest benchmarking study to identify the leaders and laggards in telecom service provider innovation, ABI Research has concluded that Asian telcos are the recognized technology trailblazers, followed by U.S. tier-one service providers, AT&T and Verizon. 5G Wireless Market Development However, European telcos are perceived as laggards in the realm of telco innovation, with DT, Orange, Telefonica and Vodafone distant followers of China Mobile, NTT Docomo, Softbank and KDDI -- which are collectively ramping up their efforts to foster technology-empowered innovation. ABI Research has assessed patent portfolios, standards contributions, open source involvement, acquisit...

Basic forms of Brain Machine Interface (BMI) technology have already been utilized in the medical field for a number of years. This existing use focuses around the cochlear implant, a medical device which uses BMI technology to provide a sense of sound to a person who is deaf or severely hard of hearing. However, further applications in the medical field and in other areas -- such as an entertainment device, for use in industry, for integration with automobiles or as a control mechanism -- are becoming increasingly possible, as the science and research develops. Brain Machine Interface Market Development According to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research, global hardware sales revenue from BMI will reach $19 billion per annum by 2027 -- that's up from an estimated $2.4 billion in 2018. BMIs bridge the gap between technology and the brain, interpreting brain signals for the purpose of interpretation or control. The study found that medical uses will account f...

There's been a significant increase in enterprise investment on technologies that analyze, organize, access, and provide advisory services that are based on use cases for unstructured data. In fact, worldwide spending on cognitive and artificial intelligence (AI) systems will reach $19.1 billion in 2018 -- that's an increase of 54.2 percent over the amount spent in 2017. With industries investing aggressively in projects that utilize cognitive and AI software capabilities, International Data Corporation (IDC) now forecasts cognitive and AI spending will grow to $52.2 billion in 2021 and achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46.2 percent over the 2016-2021 forecast period. Cognitive Systems and AI Market Development "Interest and awareness of AI is at a fever pitch. Every industry and every organization should be evaluating AI to see how it will affect their business processes and go-to-market efficiencies," said David Schubmehl, research director at ID...

More CIOs and CTOs are seeking to gain benefits of a simplified and more manageable IT infrastructure for their organizations. As a result, worldwide integrated systems revenue is forecast to total $12.3 billion in 2018 -- that's an increase of 18.4 percent from 2017, according to the latest study by Gartner. The hyperconverged integrated systems (HCIS) segment will experience the strongest growth (55 percent). By contrast, integrated stack systems will experience a five percent decline. IT Integrated Systems Market Development "The majority of integrated systems replace existing infrastructure, which is great for cost, agility and consolidation of IT and efficiency metrics," said Naveen Mishra, research director at Gartner . When implementing this as part of a digital business initiative, however, IT organizations must look at how the potential savings of capital expenditure (capex), may be offset by potential shifts in operating expenditure (opex). According to ...

Internet of Things (IoT) technology deployments have increased across the globe, as more CIOs and CTOs explore new commercial applications. However, many organizations continue to seek IoT solutions that include comprehensive data protection capabilities. Security continues to be a major concern for IT professionals when deploying IoT projects within their organizations, according to the latest worldwide market study by 451 Research. When asked to rank which technologies or processes their organizations considered for current or planned IoT initiatives, 55 percent of respondents ranked IoT security as their top priority. IoT Security Market Development As 451 Research data consistently shows, security is a headwind that must be overcome. Survey respondents have consistently rated IoT security as their highest priority – but why? "The nature of IoT deployments make them particularly difficult to secure against cyber threats," said Brian Partridge, vice president at 4...