Technology to Change Our Lives Again From 2006, Gartner to Predict at Symposium/ITxpo
SYDNEY OCT 30 2003 — The full power of information technology will be unleashed and again change our lives within three years - that's the prediction of Gartner's head of Asia/Pacific research, Jamie Popkin .
A "massive wave" of innovation will be felt across society from 2006 to 2009, resulting in huge productivity gains at work and a dramatically digitised home life, Mr Popkin will forecast at Gartner's Symposium and ITxpo, to be held from November 11-14.
Many homes will have a digital media centre as the Net and entertainment merge, moving from the study or bedroom into the living room. Dramatic improvements in compression and network technologies will create the ability to receive live video at any time.
It will also be impossible to buy any device without a wireless application and electronic paper will finally become viable for industry and consumers.
Mr Popkin said these exciting yet tumultuous days would only come once the industry had shaken off today's shackles:
Prohibitive cost
Too many vendors selling the same thing.
Complex, fragile infrastructure; and
Failing to deliver measurable ROI on projects
"The long-term outlook is very bright for the IT industry," Mr Popkin said. "Right now, we are seeing a sustainable recovery. Some sectors will grow quickly but others will be flat at best.
"The most enduring short-term trend is consolidation of vendors, especially in software. This will result in a dramatic shift in advantage to the largest IT companies."
Mr Popkin predicted Sourcing would increase its share of IT budgets in 2004 as companies refused to invest time and resources into skills not aligned to their core business.
"Advantages to this strategy must be that buyers get access to the latest technology without the need or risk of large-scale investment," he said. "Users must make the outsourcer take the risk and justify future investments. Risk mitigation is important because of the rising demands for IT governance."
Greater emphasis on management education of Sourcing was needed immediately. "CEOs do not necessarily know what they should expect from their CIO," Mr Popkin said. "And they have no idea - until you tell them - that selecting a sourcing partner is not a technology decision but a bet on a third party executing a business process that can make or break you."
Companies which chose their IT partners well and adopted the right strategies would be ideally positioned for the next wave of IT demand from 2006, he said.
Four basic technology achievements would drive demand:
Secure wireless broadband
Significantly lower power consumption of devices
Creation of a Services Oriented Architecture (SOA); and
Corporate adoption of the real-time enterprise philosophy
Mr Popkin will tell his Symposium audience that these changes will have a profound effect on Western societies. Jobs will be lost yet productivity will increase, and entire industries might disappear or be replaced.
The future of technology, the IT and media industries, and their impact on our societies will be explored by Mr Popkin and a selection of Gartner analysts in the final presentation of the 11th Symposium/ITxpo at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney, from November 11-14.
Interview opportunities with Mr Popkin are available in the lead-up to Symposium.
Symposium will also feature presentations on:
Top 10 Strategic Technologies for 2004;
Future of Windows in the Enterprise;
Enterprise Risk Management for Financial Services;
Return on IT Investment in Government;
Converging Wireless Technologies for the Enterprise;
New Technologies and What It Means for Security;
Emerging Technologies: Radar Screen for 2005-2014;
Plus much more
To organise an interview on Gartner's predictions, please contact Jo Lobban on 61 2 9459 4692 or email
About Gartner:
Gartner, Inc. is the leading provider of
research and analysis on the global information technology industry. Gartner serves more
than 10,000 clients, including chief information officers and other senior IT executives
in corporations and government agencies, as well as technology companies and the
investment community. The Company focuses on delivering objective, in-depth analysis
and actionable advice to enable clients to make more informed business and technology
decisions. The Company's businesses consist of Gartner Intelligence, research and
events for IT professionals; Gartner Executive Programs, membership programs and peer
networking services; and Gartner Consulting, customized engagements with a specific
emphasis on outsourcing and IT management. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in
Stamford, Connecticut, and has 3,700 associates, including more than 1,000 research
analysts and consultants, in more than 75 locations worldwide. For more information,
visit www.gartner.com.
