More and more companies are using big data collected from their customers to better understand their needs and optimize their products to better serve them. This is ubiquitous data analytics, which values the quality of data more than the quantity. Maximize the transformation of data into valuable innovations and use it to gain market insights on which to base informed business judgments.
When the focus is on data quality, sifting through all the information collected becomes critical. Artificial intelligence, for example, needs to perform a series of actions quickly: data collection, analysis, and instantaneous judgment to take action. Strictly speaking, the focus on data quality needs to be embedded in the process of data collection. Behind such data analytics is also a concern for the privacy of consumer information. a 2015 consumer study conducted by GfK across 20 global regions showed that consumers around the world are concerned about how their data is being collected, sold, and utilized.
2 Virtual Reality (VR)
In 2016, everything about virtual reality was in the stage of being popularized and educated, from the industry to the consumer, from hardware to software. With the three giants launching consumer-grade products one after another, and the news of "sold out" is frequently rumored, virtual reality as the most popular new smart field is rapidly sweeping the world. The global VR headset market is expected to reach $2.8 billion in 2020, with VR headset devices for gamers accounting for the majority of the share. The Chinese market will reach about 3 million retail units for the whole year of 2016, and from the VR headset online market monitored by GfK, the retail volume of VR headset has almost doubled 20 times from January to April 2016, and virtual reality hardware products are experiencing an initial explosive growth. However, it is still dominated by VR boxes. Overall, China's VR market is now in a stage of savage growth. It is believed that in the future VR applications will gradually penetrate into the fields of live broadcasting, tourism and training, medical care, decoration, real estate, education and so on.
3 Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is ultimately the process of reproducing human thinking again. As a man-made machine, the ultimate form of AI will have the same level of intelligence as we do: learning, reasoning, using language, and conceptualizing original ideas. Yet AI that only possesses the ability to learn is already rapidly infiltrating our lives. Speech recognition is one of the core areas of AI that has landed early and is currently being invested in and developed. Based on AI, there is a lot of room for each manufacturer to play, and different applications and directions are what is really interesting.In 2016, the development of AI assistants may surpass the development of smartphones. Artificial intelligence is a piece of the market to be explored and developed, this market has a variety of possibilities.
4 Wearables
How long will it take for smartwatches, health-monitoring bracelets, cameras, GPS positioning devices, and heart-rate monitoring devices to enter the mainstream? While the much-anticipated launches of Google Glass and Apple
Watch have captured the imagination of consumers, only a handful of consumers have embraced these devices. China's wearable market is expected to reach 31.6 million units in 2016, up 32% from 2015, but the lower-priced bracelet products account for the majority of the market, the overall market sales continue to rise at the same time as the growth rate slows down, the market after the jump in 2015 began to enter a more rational stage. If wearable products want to attract more consumers, there are four points to pay attention to: First, the integration of the Internet of Things, wearable devices and the existing personal technology ecosystem will become a fundamental initiative to expand the market. The second is design and materials. Form factor has become a major stumbling block for wearable products to keep up with the times. Third is accurate and effective information collection, improving the accuracy and interpretation of data is another major issue being addressed by wearable manufacturers. Fourth, compelling new cases, distinctive products will gradually establish a unique connection with consumers.
5 Video Consumption
Video consumption is growing faster than anyone expected before, and online has become the primary channel through which people watch video. From short clips on social media to movie services and packages on video sites, and even to the recent explosion of live video streaming, consumers seem to be able to see as much video content as they want, at any time, on any platform. In fact, it's been predicted that by 2019, 80% of internet traffic consumption will come from video viewing. And with more and more players investing in this field, from the producers and publishers of content to major brands and manufacturers, mutual cooperation will become a demand, and only through the exchange of information between such multiple parties can release greater energy.
6 Drones
According to GfK China's estimates, China's aerial photography consumer drone market was nearly 600 million yuan in 2014, and will surge to 6 billion yuan by 2018. And the civilian drone market is expected to form a hundred billion yuan scale in the next 10 years, the future development space is vast.
Drones are not considered a new product. Drones can play a role in aerial photography, terrain mapping, commercial transportation and rescue deployments, and even in automated mechanized production. The use of drone technology in many fields is being further explored and will play a good catalytic role in reducing business costs and improving business efficiency. But there is still a long way to go before this vision can be realized. Currently, drones still face many obstacles, such as the lack of "sense-and-avoid" technology, weight limitations, lack of night vision, and limited battery life.
7 Mobile Payments
The global mobile payments market is complex. Traditional payment methods currently have strong roots in many mature markets and cannot be easily shaken. In contrast, a number of African markets and developing Asian markets have moved straight into the mobile payments era. In such a fragmented environment, it is critical for brands, manufacturers and retailers to understand the current global landscape of mobile payments and how it is evolving. In China, third-party players such as Alibaba and Tencent have taken the lead in encouraging connected users to make payments via their cell phones in physical or online stores. The use of payment-enabled phones from Xiaomi, Oppo, and Meizu also means that mobile payments not only exist in this market, but are within reach. Markets that are thought to be the first to embrace the emerging technology present a very different picture to that of the regions mentioned above. Some markets still need to increase consumer awareness of mobile payments, while for others, the challenge is to reduce the barriers to their use.
8 Smart cars
As IoT technology matures, so will smart cars. Many luxury sedans are already equipped with large displays, and the trend for large in-car screens will continue, with additional displays designed for front passengers appearing in premium cars in late 2016 or early 2017. Some OEMs are even looking to extend their displays across the windshield or side windows in order to give passengers a better experience of "augmented reality" (AR) technology. Advances in screen technology are opening the door for consumer electronics manufacturers and startups to get in front of traditional automotive suppliers. In the past, the limitations of IoT technology made it difficult for OEMs to find a proper business model, but now the opportunity is here. By understanding the needs and preferences of consumers in niche markets, it has become possible to develop tailored in-vehicle apps and supporting services and get paid accordingly.
9 3D printing
Sales of 3D printers are relatively small at the moment. However, with more manufacturers joining the field and consumer awareness gradually increasing, this situation should change next year. In Germany, for example, sales of 3D printers grew by 71 percent last year, and demand is expanding further. Consumers find 3D printing technology extremely attractive, and 3D printing ranks third among the technologies most likely to impact their lives. This is ahead of smart cars, cloud computing, wearables and the Internet of Things. This suggests that the spread of knowledge of this new technology is already very high globally. Price has been a major barrier to the popularization of emerging technologies. But as costs fall, price will no longer be an obstacle, and the advantages of 3D printing technology will become more and more obvious and prominent: lower assembly costs, less waste, very low transportation and distribution costs and faster time to market for new products.
10 Smart Home
A smart home "gold rush" is unfolding across a wide range of sectors, with organizations ranging from traditional manufacturers and Internet companies to international technology providers and retailers seeking to maximize their participation in the future of the home. According to a GfK study of consumers in seven countries, the vast majority of consumers (90%) are aware of the smart home, 50% believe it can change their lives, and 78% agree that it is an attractive concept. The key to success for the smart home today is for consumers to understand how smart home technology can enhance their lives and provide an engaging and effective user experience. Industry collaboration and consumer education are needed to drive demand and innovation for the smart home from vendor-led to consumer-driven development. Industry stakeholders need to collaborate and form partnerships unlike any other. This will ensure that different devices and services can connect with each other in the background to fulfill the need for convenience. Only when this is achieved will the true value of the smart home be realized. According to GfK China's research on home appliance intelligence, China's home appliance intelligence application development speed is at the forefront of the world, but it is currently in the supply-side dominated by manufacturers, retailers, etc., and is still in the stage of exploring and experimenting with more advanced intelligent functions such as intelligent connection and cell phone remote control and other primary intelligence. China's huge user base and the evolution of the Internet industry will provide a good soil for the development and innovation of smart home, smart home is expected to give birth to new enterprises similar to the level of BAT in the future.