The Deloitte Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Industry Group has announced its predictions for the TMT industry in 2012.  The report contains 18 predictions in total, covering a vast array of topics, from the rise of ‘big data’ globally, how online coupons might evolve in 2012 to the likely adoption of mobile payments this year.

Simon Murphy, Director, Deloitte commented on the launch of the report:

"The launch of Deloitte’s annual TMT predictions report always provides fascinating insight into the trends that are likely to emerge in the coming year, and this year’s report is no exception. For Irish TMT companies, the report highlights both the opportunities and challenges that are present in the global marketplace. Be it adopting new approaches such as in the case of online coupon intermediaries, or the vast array of opportunities that NFC technology presents, TMT companies and entrepreneurs alike, will find some food for thought.

"Similarly, Irish CIOs can also garner useful information from these predictions. For example, is now the right time for Irish companies to be looking at big data initiatives? How can companies keep up to date with disruptive technologies such as mobile and tablet computing? By analysing how companies around the world are utilising technologies, they can assess how applicable and useful these can be for their organisation.”

Below we’ve picked some of the most interesting predictions contained in the report, and our take on them! We hope that you find these interesting.

It takes two to tablet: the rise of the multi-tablet owner

This year’s predictions show that consumer demand for technology remains strong despite challenging market conditions. The lifecycle by which new technologies move from early adopter to market saturation is shorter than ever as demonstrated by the predicted rise of the multi-tablet market and the emergence of the low-cost smartphone. As our last CIO survey here in Ireland showed, organisations cannot afford to lose pace with disruptive innovations such as mobile and tablet computing or they risk losing pace with their customers.

Billions and billions: big data becomes a big deal, globally

Increasing levels of online activity and social interactions are one of the developments driving the emergence of the “big data” market. As data volumes grow exponentially, traditional database technologies struggle to generate timely insights. In the Irish context, few organisations currently have the data volumes to justify “big data” initiatives, and few organisations have maximised the insight from transactional databases. We suggest that, as big data continues to evolve, the majority of Irish organisations should focus on the effective use of existing transactional data to drive decision-making before looking to the opportunities that “big data” opens in terms of insight from unstructured information and real-time insight.

So many apps – so little to download

The proliferation of platforms and features in mobile and tablets will pose a challenge to app developers and organisations, and we see the sophistication of apps and the associated cost of production rising. This will raise the bar for app developers to a level that will make ‘bedroom hits’ such as Irish teenager Harry Moran’s Pizzabot unfortunately rarer.

Near Field Communication (NFC) and mobile devices: payments and more

Only 10% of Irish CIOs in our last CIO survey felt mobile payments would be relevant to their organisation. The prediction that adoption of devices equipped with NFC capabilities will remain low in 2012 bears out this finding. The infrastructure to support NFC will continue to be deployed as retailers and service providers replace POS terminals with NFC compatible terminals, and NFC enabled consumer devices gain traction. It has been muted that some Irish banks may be poised to launch contact-less credit cards in 2012 and so consumer attitudes to contact-less payment should become more positive over 2012 paving the way for mobile payment adoption in 2013. Other applications of NFC will continue to create opportunities for companies like Irish start-up iNFLUX, which produces NFC-enabled smart posters.

Online coupon intermediaries: from novelty, to celebrity, to sizable niche

2011 was the year of the online coupon, and Ireland was not exempt from the gold-rush, with several Irish coupon intermediaries emerging. With the market reaching saturation point and with many retailers disillusioned with the coupon experience, current revenue levels are under threat. The challenge coupon intermediaries face is evolving their business models to a sustainable footing. Moving away from the one-off discount hunt to foster repeat business for retailers will ensure that buyers are matched to sellers in a way that benefits both.

The schedule dominates, still

Finally, it is interesting to note that despite the ‘on-demand’ promise of digital video recorders and online ‘catch-up’ players, the television schedule will still be dictating viewing habits for the majority of viewers. While things will have changed half a century from now, when RTE reaches its 100 year anniversary, the schedule is still king in 2012.

Download a full copy of the 2012 TMT Predictions report below. 

Please do not hesitate to contact a member of the TMT team with any queries you might have.