While the ICT industry will move towards new aspects of intelligence, openness, service, and integration, ten key trends are to reshape the landscape of the industry in 2018, according to Taipei-based and government-backed IT research institute MIC (Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute).
And here they are:
1. Precise recognition: Deep learning helps increase the precision level of recognition technology and spur innovation across industry sectors such as transportation, administration, public utilities, finance, automotive, medical care, and more.
2. Retail intelligence: New retail service models can trigger demand for smart/intelligence product offerings. For instance, Amazon and Alibaba have unveiled their own smart retail concept with advanced voice and image recognition technologies to come out with new business models like customization, virtual-physical integration, and multichannel marketing, and new products like augmented reality digital signage, cloud-based video recorders, smart POS (point of sale), and self-checkout machines.
3. AI-based security: AI integrated security systems can safeguard national and cyber security better. A number of cyber and terrorist attacks in 2017, coupled with the widespread use of internet, the concerns for physical and cyber security are expected to rise sharply in 2018 and thus more AI-based security products can be expected for more precise intelligence analysis, identification recognition, system malfunction detection, and system failure prevention and correction.
4. Software openness: Open-source software will become the mainstream. The increasing popularity of cloud computing, big data, IoT, AI, and blockchain developed based on open-source software has forced leading companies like Microsoft and Apple to join the bandwagon by collaborating with open source communities to speed up their technology and application developments.
5. Edge-fog computing: The rise of fog computing can help solve future’s big data issues with a decentralized computing infrastructure that uses one or more collaborative end-user clients or near-user edge devices to perform low latency computation and aggregation on the data.
6. Technology servitization: More new services will be derived from emerging technologies. A cloud-based architecture is the foundation for software servitization over the years especially in the form of SaaS (Software as a Service). In the future, emerging technologies such as container, blockchain, AI, and quantum computing and more technology-centric services are going to gain increasing attention.
7. Network service miniaturization: More micro operators will provide customization services. With the advent of the 5G era, the critical success factor for a business depends on what service it provides. Small cells, coupled with V2X, IoT and LTE D2D (device to device) compliant to 3GPP standards, will become the areas of focus in 2018. Meanwhile, the proliferation of micro operators dedicated to providing regional services is expected to generate more customization services without having to obtain a spectrum license.
8. Telecom operations ‘data-ization’: Data services will become a main source of revenue for large-scale telecom operators that aim to tap new markets with greater diversity. Having a large amount of data, telecom operators will be able to conduct precise marketing strategies and better utilize service resources to stand out in the future.
9. Cross-border applications: Smart cities will become the best testbeds for smart applications in light of the fundamental changes in government policies concerning smart city development. In addition, the proliferation of smart applications has also shifted the customer demand from single- to multiple-use and integrated solutions.
10. Concentrated industry: Industry concentration is to be further intensified in 2018 owing to the increasing demand for cross-border application integration. Taking the semiconductor industry as an example, Broadcom’s proposal to acquire Qualcomm has reflected semiconductor vendors’ intention to expand via M&As.
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