Village Gamer

Computer tablets will have the quickest ‘multi-anything’ market penetration in history as Canadians continue to buy them in 2012, even if they already have one. In fact, many Canadian households will have more tablets than people as families increasingly use them for specific tasks like reading or general pursuits such as accessing the Internet.

That is just one of the findings unveiled today as Deloitte launches the global Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) Predictions 2012 report and accompanying Canadian presentation series revealing the top TMT trends that Canadian businesses can expect to see in 2012.

The much anticipated 11^th edition of Deloitte’s TMT Predictions provides highly useful global insights into emerging technology, media and telecommunications trends. Deloitte’s TMT Predictions will be of significant interest to consumers and help businesses determine how and where billions of infrastructure, investment and marketing dollars will be spent in the year ahead and beyond. The 2012 Canadian TMT Predictions are based on in-depth interviews and research, input from Deloitte clients and alumni, industry analysts, leading global TMT executives and more than 7,000 Deloitte TMT member firm practitioners.

“The growth rate of multi-tablet households has been nothing short of astonishing” says Duncan Stewart, Director, Deloitte Canada Research and co-author of TMT Predictions 2012. “It took several decades for more than five percent of households to have more than one car, telephone, radio or TV. For personal computers or cell phones, it took more than 10 years before five percent of homes had more than one. But with tablets, it will be less than three years.”

According to Stewart, one way those tablets are being used is getting consumers through the morning rush hour.

“A combination of consumer desire for connected activity, the continuing respect for broadcast television schedules and growing traffic congestion has led to the rise of a new phenomenon, the ‘catch-up commuter’ who, globally in 2012, could watch an additional five billion hours of television on the way to and from work. Those extra hours are of huge interest to advertisers.”

2012 will also see dramatic developments in Near Field Communications (NFC), the technology which allows mobile devices like smart phones to ‘swipe’-transfer information to terminals and other devices. The number of NFC-enabled devices is expected to double this year. NFC has many applications for everything from security to gaming to the “digital wallet”, which will offer new opportunities for retailers and financial companies while being hugely convenient for consumers.

“We used to talk about the ‘last mile’ in communications” says Richard Lee, Deloitte Canada’s National TMT Leader. “Now, with NFC, it’s more about the ‘last inch and a half’ that will enable mobile phones to securely download information at the security check point, ATM machine or point-of-sale terminal. As the technology is perfected and as consumers accept it, the nature of literally billions of transactions will change.”

These are the 10 most significant TMT trends that will impact Canada in 2012:

1.	Billions and billions: big data becomes a big deal – In 2012, “big data” will experience accelerating growth and market penetration. Deloitte expects that more than 90 per cent of Fortune 500 companies will have some big data initiatives under way by end of the year.
2.	NFC and mobile devices: payments and much more! – There will be a doubling in the number of mobile devices with Near Field Communications (NFC) chips by the end of 2012.
3.	It takes two to tablet: the rise of the multi-tablet owner – Almost five per cent of tablets sold will be to households that already own a tablet, likely marking the most rapid ‘multi-anything’ market penetration in history.
4.	All aboard for the catch-up commuter – Five percent of owners of full-screen smart phones and a one in 10 tablet owners will use their devices at least once a month to catch up on TV viewing while commuting. Globally, this could represent an additional five billion hours of television viewing for the year.
5.	Consumer tech spending defies the economic head winds – Rises in smart phone, tablet, computer and TV purchases will far surpass gloomy general economic predictions.
6.	It’s a “brand” new day for online ads – Online brand spending will grow 50 per cent from 2011 levels as marketers realize the potential of online to build long-term value for brands.
7.	The schedule remains supreme – Somewhat surprisingly, consumers are respecting the traditional television broadcast schedule, watching 98 per cent of programs within 24 hours of broadcast, virtually unchanged from a decade ago despite new devices that allow them to record programs and watch them whenever they want.
8.	Hard times for the hard disk: silicon storage surges – In 2009, virtually all laptops and netbooks kept their data on hard disks, but that will be down to 85 per cent by the end of 2012 as solid state drives take off.
9.	Market research is all in your head: MRI machines and media – “Neuromarketing” will figure prominently as marketers try to peer into the minds of consumers – literally – using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI).
10.	Here come more data caps: it’s the end of the (wire)line for unlimited Internet – In 2012, more than 100 million additional Internet users around the world will have to start watching the meter on their wired broadband connection.

Full details about the global TMT Predictions and Canadian report are available  online or view on the following social media channels and vehicles:

• Ustream – Watch the Montreal event live at 8:00 a.m. EST on January 18th

• Twitter – hashtag #TMT Predictions

• Flickr – See photos of the TMT events

• Facebook

• YouTube

In addition, the predictions will be showcased in a 12-stop cross-country TMT Predictions road show series:

• Toronto – January 17
• Montreal – January 18
• Quebec City – January 19
• Ottawa – January 20
• St. John’s – January 23
• Halifax – January 24
• Saint John – January 25
• Saskatoon – January 26
• Edmonton – January 27
• Vancouver – January 30
• Calgary – January 31
• Winnipeg – February 1