Region set to benefit from 2010 technology trends

YORKSHIRE’S technology and media firms could be well-placed to take advantage of emerging top trends in gaming, cloud services and ‘green’ IT.

According to Rob Seldon, Deloitte’s Leeds-based technology parter for the North, the region is strong in a number of core sectors set for growth in 2010.

His comments follow the publication of the business advisory firm’s annual Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) 2010 top trend predictions.

Among the predictions are video-on-demand via vending machines, increased converged web and television consumption, the rise of the ‘prosumer’, where employees are encouraged to choose their professional electronic gadgets, and the influence of green technology on environmental advances.

2010 should see the world’s first laboratory scale carbon-negative cement plant with an industrial scale plant expected in 2011.

Cement production represents about 5% of global emissions – almost double that of the aviation sector.

Mr Seldon said that Yorkshire’s growing carbon economy and renewables sector would be able to benefit from such key advances.

But he added that other sectors were in a good position to take advantage or lead the way in emerging media trends.

“Leeds is well-placed to benefit from the growth in cloud computing and services because of its network infrastructure,” said Mr Seldon.

“Particularly because of the concentration of professional services type businesses rather than manufacturing.”

He said that firms such as Sheffield-based Zoo Digital would continue to play a pivotal role in entertainment-based advances such as 3D.

Meanwhile, the importance being on line and in touch cheaply and efficiently will provide telecommunications firms with opportunities.

According to Deloitte, 2010 could the year for VoIP – voice call over the top of an IP-based network – via mobile phones.

Convergence is the ambition of tech firms with net tablets (NetTabs) – which are smaller than a netbook and bigger than a smartphone – predicted to be the ‘next big thing’ and according to Deloitte likely to be released by start-ups, existing phone and PC makers, netbook leaders and smaller manufacturers using open-source phone operating systems.

The WiFI connectable devices have an advantage over smartphones, which are small for watching videos or web browsing, and notebooks, netbooks, and ultra-thin PCs, which are too heavy or expensive.

Howeve, Mr Seldon said manufacturers were still undecided on the right size.

He said it was interesting to note that consumers were increasingly beta-testing and that firms were letting them decide what they liked and disliked in the new age of ‘prosumerism’.

“It seems increasingly that companies are allowing consumers to decide what they use devices for,” he added.

“Getting strategies right means reducing development risk.”