Conference Presentation
Four Trends in Consumer Tech
- Super apps are established as a lasting trend originating from Eastern markets and spreading Westward, predicted to eventually encompass all sectors and rescue the market amid declining standalone app download trends.
- A significant shift toward "everything becomes commerce" is expected, where shopping integrates directly into entertainment, video, social media, and messaging platforms, requiring companies to collaborate to discover new revenue streams and offer unique products.
- Technology is forecasted to increasingly permeate the physical world, moving interaction beyond small screens to connect digital identities with physical ones, alongside a massive expansion in audio consumption including podcasts and an emerging audio-first paradigm.
- In 2019, consumer engagement with cell phones is projected to exceed television viewing time by reaching three hours and 43 minutes per day.
- Facial recognition technology, currently in experimental stages with trials by Delta Airlines for international airport check-ins and by New York private schools for security, is viewed as unlocking new opportunities despite potential privacy concerns regarding its adoption in the United States.
- Specific commercial innovations include a UK company's two-year exclusive partnership with Tencent to overlay advertisements and pre-recorded video on content, a feature that is already live and monetized.
- Data analytics will drive high-frequency apps to optimize business decisions, such as Spotify helping artists and promoters determine tour locations and personalize playlists for specific cities.
- Monetization methods for video and short video apps in the United States are anticipated to improve through enhanced commercial formats and increased integration of business partners and commerce within these apps.
- The broader ecosystem requires cross-company collaboration to unlock opportunities as entities like Uber transform into operating systems for daily life and Meituan expands into sectors like shared bikes.