Increased mobile technology use, IT in healthcare and better television audience measurements were among featured trends mentioned as Deloitte unveiled its global technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) predictions for the next 12 months.
The report predicts that phablets - part cellphone, part tablet - will outsell tablets by $25 billion, and the total global sales of smartphones, tablets, PCs, TV sets, and gaming consoles will exceed $750 billion in 2014.
Mark Casey, Deloitte's TMT industry leader for southern Africa, says: "While there has been much uncertainty around wearables, we predict that consumer interest will lead to a lucrative market with $3 billion in sales in glasses, watches, and fitness bands."
Arun Babu, consulting TMT leader at Deloitte, notes that more people are expected to use technology when interacting with healthcare professionals in a bid to trim costs.
Some highlights from the report include:
Technology
- * Global sales of smartphones, tablets, PCs, TV sets and video game consoles will exceed $750 billion in 2014 - an increase of $50 billion from last year, according to Deloitte. "However, a plateau appears likely. Sales are expected to continue growing, but at a slower rate than over the past 10 years, with an estimated ceiling of about $800 billion per year," the report says.
- * Education institutions are expected to invest in massive open online courses - widely accessible online courses that are often free or provided at minimal costs.
- * Deloitte notes that wearable technology such as smart glasses, fitness bands and watches, will sell around 10 million units globally in 2014, generating $3 billion. Of those wearable devices, smart glasses are expected to generate the most revenue from sales of around four million units.
- * In healthcare, people around the world are expected to make around 100 million e-visits - online interactions with health professionals to share and receive medical information. The development is seen as "potentially saving over $5 billion when compared to the cost of in-person doctor visits and representing growth of 400% from 2012 levels".
- * Compact tablets - those with screens smaller than nine inches - will surpass the base of classic tablets (nine inches and larger) for the first time. By the end of the first quarter, says Deloitte, the base of compact tablets is set to be 165 million units, slightly ahead of the classic tablet base, with 160 million.
Media and entertainment
- * About 50 million homes around the world are expected to have two or more separate pay-TV subscriptions by the end of 2014. According to the report, the additional subscriptions will generate $5 billion in revenue.
- * In some developed markets, a further 10 million homes will have premium programming as part of their subscription to another service, such as broadband.
- * The value of premium sports broadcast rights will increase to $24.2 billion, a 14% rise on 2013, equivalent to an additional $2.9 billion. New agreements with certain top tier European domestic football leagues and major North American sports leagues will influence the increase, according to Deloitte.
Telecoms
- * Shipments of phablets, smartphones with five- to 6.9-inch screens, will represent a quarter of smartphones sold ? around 300 million units ? which amounts to double the 2013 volume, and 10 times 2012 sales. "But after initial rapid consumer success, 2014 may mark a 'peak phablet' year, as only a (sizeable) minority of smartphones users will want to handle such a large device," notes the report.
- * People over the age of 55 will experience the fastest year-on-year rises in smartphone penetration across developed markets. Ownership should rise to between 45% and 50% by the end of the year, according to the report.
- * Deloitte expects 50 billion messages to be sent every day using instant messaging services, compared to 21 billion through SMS.
Share