Spotlight on Trends and Predictions | ChannelDrive.in
As we are going into the closing weeks of year 2022, we are presenting the top trends in technology that are going to play a critical role in the coming year 2023. Where it is edge computing or cloud technologies, cyber security, collaboration tech or Wi-Fi – innovations in the field of telecoms and IT will continue to expand envelope of connectivity and digital transformation across different verticals.
Here is what Ashish Gupta, Vice President, Head of Software, Barco India is predicting for year 2023:
So far, 2022 has proved to be the year of connected smart devices and, as we turn our gaze towards 2023, we can expect incremental development in this arena, along with several other new use cases. For India, 2022 has brought in the launch of 5G, and the disruptive connectivity thus unleashed is seen bolstering tech trends across the spectrum. In this scenario, the top ten tech predictions for 2023 are as under –
1. Adaptive AI: 2023 will see the influx of adaptive AI, which brings together agent-based design and AI to boost systemic learning practices and behaviors. The technology will help deliver faster and better outcomes by learning behavioural patterns from past human and machine experiences.
2. IoT and Automation: With superlative connectivity, IoT devices will unlock greater opportunities for both smart home and industrial use cases, with automation being a core focus. 2023 will see the beginning of smart automation, making manual labour redundant and creating newer avenues for human intelligence to prosper.
3. Hybrid collaboration is the new normal: Given the focus on sustainability and flexibility, hybrid collaboration will remain in vogue despite people resuming work from an office. Newer and quicker solutions will enable seamless hybrid collaboration in the new normal.
4. Technology driving Sustainable solutions: Even as organizations strive to create more sustainable solutions, 2023 will witness technology playing a major role in imperative functions such as eco-scoring, carbon footprint analysis, and renewable energy.
5. Cloud adoption towards Digital transformation: Digitisation is the key focus for all industries and, with the production of massive amounts of data, organizations are turning towards the cloud as a means to securely store information. Bolstered by disruptive 5G connectivity, cloud adoption is seen rising significantly in 2023.
6. Digital ecosystem for apps and platforms: With interconnected systems now powering daily needs, 2023 will see the creation of a digital ecosystem for apps and platforms, leading to a singular touchpoint for various purposes.
7. 5G and beyond: Industry leaders believe that the deployment of 5G in India will be much faster than in previous generations. Most smartphones today are already equipped with 5G chips and people are eagerly awaiting astronomical speeds. 5G and aligned technologies will boost both individual and industrial use cases in 2023 as the internet becomes more accessible than ever before.
8. Visualization and Projection led by Data and Analytics: People today are keen on interactive visuals and display technology capable of weaving stories. This will become a mainstay in 2023, powered by data and analytics. In 2023 and the years ahead, visualization and projection technology will power an array of use cases, from Entertainment and Learning Intelligence to the general usage of imaging.
9. Software Platform Engineering and Democratization of Tech Organisations today are keen on utilizing new age technologies like AR/VR, AI, Cloud or even IoT to take care of their business requirements but it requires lot of customization to make it organization fit for their multiple and diverse use cases. The need is to invest on platform engineering so that new use cases on these technologies can be rolled out in less time and reduced investment. We see this accelerating in 2023 with the advent of new age technologies.
10. Super App: Convenience is the by-word for customer satisfaction and today, many apps are attempting to transform into super apps to ensure seamless customer experiences. This trend will gather pace in 2023 and lead to the creation of single-app access to multiple use cases like shopping, entertainment, and food delivery.
2023 will be a transformative year for technology and these are some of the tech trends that will take centre stage in the coming months.
Here is what Anku Jain, Managing Director, MediaTek India is predicting for year 2023:
As we move past the pandemic with more resilience and dynamism, we look for another significant year that is characterized by several technology advancements promising greater value across different chains of processes.
Here’s a glimpse at the top ten tech predictions that will impact our journey in 2023:
1. Semiconductors: Semiconductor tech for smart devices will evolve mostly focusing on the performance-driven applications of the 5G era including high-end gaming and HD video streaming that demand high-performance cores, energy-efficient architecture, as well as enhancements in camera, battery and display technologies.
2. Smart Home: Though we are familiar with a number of devices that make a home smarter, the real ‘smart home’ concept has not gained popularity in India. We expect smart home hub and the connected ecosystem to shape up in modern homes in 2023, driven by wider FTTH penetration and disruptive home networking technologies.
3. Industrial IoT: Applications designed for various industrial scenarios like agriculture, retail, transport and industrial automation will drive the demand for devices like drones, AGVs, industrial cameras, traffic sensors and more. We will also witness the beginning of a new era of industrial automation powered by 5G and complemented by technologies like WiFi6 and Edge.
4. Metaverse: Metaverse, which is perceived as the next version of the Internet, is an emerging trend that has the potential to transform consumer applications such as gaming and shopping as well as build several innovative business applications. It will also make digital currencies like non-fungible tokens (NFTs) popular.
5. AR/VR: Whilst the industry readies for metaverse, augmented reality and virtual reality are expected to achieve a new dimension in 5G era in India. Devices supporting AR and VR are evolving acquiring advanced capabilities such as AI-driven real-time transcription and translation of speech.
6. AI and IoT: The combination of AI and IoT will drive several productivity applications across industries. With AI, enterprise can identify patterns and detect anomalies in IoT applications, thereby reducing or completely eliminating downtime in both mission-critical and non-critical applications.
7. Cloud AI and datafication: The combination of data analytics and AI in cloud will help accelerate the digital journey of organization by increasing automation and enhancing self-learning while also ensuring data security and privacy.
8. WiFi 6E: The Wi-Fi 6 Release 2 brings significant improvements in energy efficiency across smart home and enterprise scenarios. Though the market has very few WiFi 6E-compatible devices at present, they are expected to flourish in 2023.
9. Smart wearables: Smart wearables of 2023 and beyond will comprise not only the hearables and smartwatches, but other wearables like smart patches, smart helmets, and even smart implantables offering much greater functionalities that can help improve our physical and emotional well-being.
10. Device security: As gadgets grow in number and scope performing more serious functions like banking, shopping, work-from-home, health monitoring and asset management, security becomes a major concern. Thus IoT security and mobile device security will gain more attention in the cyber security space.
With another exciting New Year round the corner, we expect that technology will continue to evolve, delivering its contributions to humanity, uplifting underserved communities and empowering the entire citizenry to do more and in a better way.
Here are the predictions for Jay Lee, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, ATX Networks.
Multi-gigabit services will become standard for MSOs and FTTH providers, but, while speed is impressive, broadband demand is still not ready to catch up to broadband supply. ATX Networks predicts other attributes such as security, reliability, and latency will outrank speed as a criterion for broadband service packages in 2023.
ATX predicts that the economic advantages of DOCSIS 4.0 upgrades compared to fiber overbuilds to meet customer demand will grow even more compelling to MSOs in 2023. While preparing for the technology to be available, MSOs will optimize their DOCSIS 3.1 networks using 1.8GHz high-split amplifiers with 1.2Ghz/1.8GHz dual-mode operation capabilities.
Energy storage technology will finally see advancements over the next year, leading MSOs to pursue alternatives to battery-based standby power solutions to meet sustainability goals and drastically reduce cost. Benefits from tech such as hybrid supercapacitors will prove superior over lead-acid and Lithium-type batteries.
Smart amps will make their debut in 2023, adding automation and control capabilities that eliminate the need for plug-ins and equalizers. Additional intelligence, such as transponders that require investments in back-office software, offers the potential to support remote communications and maintenance, but will add additional costs and complexity.
Labor shortages persist, but relief is on the horizon for cable operators. Initiatives by industry organizations and technology suppliers to augment the labor pool with vocational training programs will make a significant dent in replenishing the cable workforce beginning next year.
Clearfield CMO Kevin Morgan, predicts:
As the market moves from homes passed to homes connected, the need for companies to better manage and integrate their supply chain and own manufacturing process will escalate, creating opportunity for companies that do this well and challenges for companies that cannot.
Any technology that breaks the status quo for how fiber broadband services are delivered, especially those that create abilities to allow operators to streamline the deployment process and accelerate time to market will enable new labor-lite solutions to cross the chasm from early adopters to mainstream, and Main Street, adoption.
We will see workforce development become the Achilles heel for organizations that don’t address this issue for all levels of fiber broadband networks – from deployment to CRM – this is not an opportunity where “if we build it, they will come.” This is something that the company must address, or they will fail.
Companies that take an active approach to workforce development will benefit not only from its ability to help it realize the current market opportunity, but create a generational impact on those they help train to be a part of the fiber broadband industry. The benefits go far beyond the ability to scale but have long-term impact on local and family economics and opportunity. This is an added opportunity to address disparities in the digital divide beyond basic connectivity.
Here is a peak at what Ryan McCowan, Adtran Americas CTO, is predicting for 2023:
Adtran predicts the demand for ubiquitous Wi-Fi will increase over the next year. Subscribers have begun to expect their Wi-Fi to work as seamlessly as electricity, with the ability to turn it on in as many rooms or devices as you would like without impacting performance to the service.
The increased shortage in the fiber workforce is going to be a larger threat to the industry than the supply chain has been over the past several years. Adtran expects vendors to introduce solutions to ease this strain on operators, while the industry continues to train fiber technicians.
A BEAD Halo Effect will begin over the next several months. While many providers are working to build BEAD-funded fiber networks, there will be more inspiration to build broadband networks outside of BEAD-funded areas.
With several new broadband providers entering the market each day, fiber marketing will be crucial to remain competitive. Subscriber insights will be a major key in enabling providers to understand what subscribers need to retain current customers and attract new ones.
Adtran predicts increased capacity demands will put pressure on the middle mile and will be a focus area of improvement over the next several years.
Here is what Sam Pratt, CEO of Render Networks is predicting for year 2023:
End-to-end construction digitalization is no longer a risk, it’s a reality. Operators will pivot towards purpose-built construction technology as standard practice to improve build quality and meet required cycle times, including predictive insights to accurately scope and deploy networks ahead of schedule and under budget.
The skilled labor shortage will continue to persist. To enable network builds to continue, leading operators are turning to technology to improve access to information and increase the productivity and profitability of their workforce while the industry is upskilling the next generation of technicians.
Emerging industry priorities of quality and sustainability are two sides of the same coin. Less rework can eliminate waste, while higher build quality can enhance energy efficiency. The industry’s increased sustainability focus will advance the move to digital construction methods as a solution to build a future-proof network and lower an operator’s carbon footprint.
Tools that enable productivity and flexibility in the construction phase will be key for network rollouts as BEAD and private funding requirements increase pressure on states and operators to accelerate deployment to meet funding milestones and ensure unserved locations are prioritized for construction.
Here is what Gareth Smith, General Manager Software Test Automation, Keysight Technologies is predicting on Software Automation & Quality for year 2023:
1. Autonomous Test Design
Traditional test automation still requires that the tests themselves are manually written. Model based approaches allow tests to be generated from the central model; Autonomous Test Design takes the next step and automatically generates these models. This means that the model is auto generated as a “Digital Twin” of the system to be tested, and from there the actual tests are auto generated and executed. This further simplifies and optimizes testing to improve quality and reduce release times and, as a result, will become the de facto approach to testing in 2023.
2. Sustainability of Testing
Traditional test automation is based on the need to run a large number of fixed tests at defined periods (overnight, weekends and prior to a release, for example). The execution of each test requires significant computing power and thus has both an energy cost and an environmental impact. With the increase in energy prices and the greater awareness of sustainability, this legacy approach of “non-intelligent” test automation will be replaced by intelligent test optimization – in which the goal is to only run the tests that are known to identify a problem.
3. Metaverse as a Platform
Vendors need to maintain multiple different channels to engage with customers; the web and mobile are the most common, but there are also dedicated mobile apps, kiosks, IoT devices, ATMs, Set To Boxes, etc. In 2023, expect more conversation around the Metaverse as a significant channel for future customer interaction. This adds a significantly different type of channel for vendors to design, build and test for – meaning that most will need a mobile app, a website and a metaverse implementation. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) can be attributed to Metaverse environments, providing a new way to deliver products and services. Testing the Metaverse adds significant challenges for most test automation technology, which in turn will accelerate innovation in that space.
4. AI to Provide Assurance of Quality and Behavior
With the increasing complexity of a digital-first world, digital products will come under greater scrutiny. This is already high for safety critical systems but expect it to increase in all areas in 2023. The contents of the product, including all constituent parts and third party components, must be itemized and certified – ensuring that all constituents are authentic and original. As products become more intelligent and AI is more prolific across systems and devices, their behavior becomes more nuanced and complex. The testing of these systems needs a more intelligent technology to understand the responses and validate against acceptable behavior – resulting in the need to use AI to test AI.
5. The Rise of the Citizen Developers
With an increasingly digital savvy population, traditional non-technical audiences are becoming technically proficient and confident in using more complex systems. Combined with advances in user experience design and usability improvements, these new non-technical users can develop for their specific needs through low-code or no-code technology – in many cases removing the need for a separate requirements document for a technical team to implement. This reduces time to delivery and the risk of misinterpretation and increases overall efficiency.
Here is what Candid Wuest, VP of Cyber Protection Research, Acronis is predicting on Cyber Threat for year 2023:
Cybersecurity has come a long way since its inception, but so have the cyber criminals who gave it purpose. Today’s world is more digitally dependent than ever. IT environments are becoming increasingly complex, and small flaws in resilience can significantly impact an organization’s ability to continue operating despite security incidents or breaches. Here are six trends that are likely to shape the cybersecurity landscape in 2023.
Verification: Authentication and Identity Access Management (IAM) will be more frequently targeted. Many attackers have already begun stealing or circumventing multi-factor authentication (MFA) tokens. In other cases, such as MFA fatigue attacks, overwhelming targets with requests can result in successful logins without the need for a vulnerability. Recent attacks on Okta and Twilio demonstrated that such external services are also vulnerable. This, of course, is in addition to the ongoing issues with weak and reused passwords from previous years. As a result, it is critical to understand how your authentication works and how data is accessed.
Calling from within the browser: There will be more attacks in or through the browser, conducting the attacks from within the sessions. Malicious browser extensions swap targets for transactions or steal passwords in the background. Also, there is a trend of hijacking the source code of such tools and adding backdoors through the GitHub repository. Websites, on the other hand, will continue to track users with JavaScript and share session ids across HTTP referrers to marketing services. Attackers will expand on the form-jacking and Magento Magecart techniques where small added snippets steal all the information in the background of the original website. With the increase in serverless computing, the analysis of such attacks can become more complicated.
API-based cloud automation: The cloud has already seen a massive shift in data, processes, and infrastructure. More automation between different services will follow. This vast, hyperconnected cloud of services will include many IoT devices. As a result, many APIs will be accessible via the internet, increasing attacks on them. This can result in large-scale attacks due to automation.
Attacks on business processes: Attackers are constantly coming up with new ways to modify business processes to their advantage and profit. Change the receiving bank account details in a company’s billing system template, for example, or add their cloud bucket as a backup destination for the email server. These attacks, like the growing number of insider attacks, frequently do not involve malware and necessitate a close examination of user behaviour.
AI is everywhere: AI and ML processes will be used by businesses of all sizes and sectors. Advances in the creation of synthetic data will fuel some identity fraud and disinformation campaigns that use deep fake content. More concerning trends will be attacks on the AI and ML models themselves. The attacker will attempt to exploit model flaws, intentionally introduce bias into data sets, or simply use the triggers to flood IT operations with alerts.
Increased awareness of CISO liabilities: This year’s Uber data breach conviction will focus many minds in the C-suite on the fact that the CISO role carries significant ethical responsibilities. Cybersecurity, like many other professions, has a code of ethics that practitioners must follow. Individuals entrusted with the security and privacy of data must act ethically. 2023 may prove to be a more volatile year for CISOs as they deal with the pressures of maintaining a rigid security posture while also dodging the bullet of blame when attacks are successful. They are likely to rely on degrees in information security disciplines as well as a wide range of professional certifications such as the CISSP. What is critical is for CISOs to constantly update their knowledge because not only threats, but also solutions, will evolve, and they must stay current.
