Watch out for the 'Car' in 2014 says Symphony Teleca

BANGALORE, INDIA: Symphony Teleca Corporation (STC) has offered its predictions for top technology trends and innovations that will reach a new era in connectivity in 2014.

One interesting one among them is the where it pegs the 'Car' as the next personal electronics ahead. More and more technology advancements from both consumer electronics and automotive sectors will be available to the automotive industry in 2014, it opined. The challenge however, will be figuring out how to effectively install, upgrade and integrate these systems quickly to meet consumer demand and expectation. To help address this challenge, automotive OEMs will increasingly see consumer technology companies as their top strategic partners and innovation engines.

Driven by the convergence of data and mobility, the New Year will see major advancements in wearable devices, in-vehicle infotainment, smart TVs and smart energy, as well as advanced predictive analytics that is revolutionizing the retail and healthcare industries to new levels.

"From point-of-sale advertising in retail to advances in remote software management in automotive, this year saw significant developments in data analytics fueled by the growing smartphone and tablet markets. That has set the stage for disruptive consumer and enterprise solutions that will answer the ongoing challenges that arise at the convergence of data and mobility in the New Year," said Sanjay Dhawan, President and CEO of Symphony Teleca. "As the technology landscape continues to evolve, we will see a fundamental shift toward real-time connectivity, and organizations, both manufacturers and service providers, will look to third parties to help them bring solutions to market quicker."

Five of the top technology trends that Symphony Teleca predicts for 2014, include: newcomers to the wearable device race; Multi-Screen engagement transforming the living room and retailers and healthcare professionals turning data scientists. 

Small, niche companies will join mobile device giants like Samsung in the wearable technology race, opening it up to be anyone's game. The market will also become highly segmented around consumer experiences for fitness enthusiasts, health and wellness advocates, business users and other targeted audiences. OEMs that can produce quality products that deliver a seamless portable experience will likely come out on top.

The trend, as it explains, toward smart TVs and set-top boxes will take on a new form in 2014. As the industry moves to standardizing existing platforms, challenges from the games console makers and consumer demand for ease of use will create a new market dynamic. New user interfaces and content formats will emerge that will not only work with the cable box and the remote, but also connected devices like smartphones and tablets. Cable companies and broadcast producers will capitalize on this opportunity to engage with consumers in a myriad of new ways by unlocking the set-top box, enabling a third-party ecosystem and integrating with other smart devices, making the living room a modern, connected entertainment space.

It also augurs how acknowledging the inherent deficiencies in point-of-sale (POS) data, retailers will leverage social and interactive technologies like Instagram or near-field communication (NFC) to get insights at the shelf level. Getting feedback from the shopper at the moment of purchase will be determined as more accurate and valuable for product innovation, thus companies will leverage crowdsourcing at the point of purchase to drive product innovation.