The last two years have produced some digital transformation while some are still underway.
However the most important question here is will some of the core technologies such as data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality still dominate in the coming year or the emerging technologies will take over, only time can tell. Below are some of the top digital transformation trends for 2021.
5G to go Mainstream
There are many benefits of 5G with the rise in digital collaboration, video conferencing, and remote working, the need for better and reliable connection with increased bandwidth has become necessary. Moreover, the increasing use of tablets, smartphones, and other advanced devices along with the rise in IoT sensors has led to the need for faster connectivity. Hence, 5G is considered to be a vital part of the solution.
With the rise in population working from home and schools and colleges being managed from home due to various reasons including the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, the value of 5G is likely to rise in 2021. Although the pandemic stopped work on 5G earlier this year, the work on 5G networks has been resumed and countries like China are focusing on meeting their goals for 2020. Moreover, smartphone manufacturers are also releasing 5G phones and helping to make 5G affordable for smartphone users.
Customer Data Platform (CDP)
Customer Data Platform (CDP) has seen a rise in the last few months. Organizing fragmented data from various sources can be a very difficult job for companies and companies usually depend on well-curated and timely data to operate optimally. CDP can solve this problem as it helps to collect data from all the sources, organize and arrange it, and tag it and make it usable for the company. Companies such as Oracle, Adobe, SAP, and Microsoft are invested to provide the market with CDPs. Meanwhile, new entrants like ActionIQ and Segment are impressed with new CDP services taking an approach to solve various challenges.
With the exponential growth in data in various segments and with business operations becoming more fragmented with the rise in work from home, customer data platforms are likely to gain popularity in 2021.
Hybrid Cloud
Businesses are moving fast towards Hybrid cloud infrastructure and it is also helping companies with their need for cloud infrastructure from a mix of the private and public cloud to SaaS applications. Moreover, in the past few years, there has been an increase in investment in the Hybrid cloud infrastructure from cloud providers such as Azure, Oracle, IBM, and Google. Meanwhile, OEMs are also investing in the development of tools that can lead to easy connectivity between cloud and data centers on-premises. This investment by companies is basically to meet and stay connected to the customers regardless of their location. Along with better connectivity, companies are also focusing on resolving issues like compliance, privacy, and security.
Cybersecurity
With the ongoing pandemic, cybersecurity has gained relevance in the market as the majority of the people are working from home. This has given chance for hackers to easily steal data as home systems lack the level of security usually found in the systems at the office. There has been a rise in attacks on bank data and cloud servers. With few employees working onsite with the secured network, it is important for companies to upgrade their cybersecurity and provide it to the work from home devices.
With companies increasingly focusing on cybersecurity, there is a big opportunity for companies to provide security in areas such as intrusion detection and firewalls. Moreover, hardware, software, and cloud makers are also focusing on developing products that are secured against modern day threats.
Confidential and Privacy Computing
Confidential computing is gaining traction especially in areas including data and communications privacy. Confidential computing encrypts the computing process by creating additional security layers around confidential information. Companies such as VMware, IBM, Microsoft, Google, and Alibaba are focusing on best practices and on the development of new protocols with confidential computing. This technology of confidential computing is still at the infancy level but it should come into the mainstream by 2021.
Headless Technology Reshaping Commerce Industry
Businesses in the commerce industry are able to separate the front-end layer from the data functionality in the back-end to provide a customized shopping experience to the customers. Moreover, with the rise in the cost of customer acquisition, the companies are focusing on increasing the return on investment on the cost of new customer acquisition and the other thing on which companies are focusing is customer retention and development. Thus, by connecting everything from the warehouse to the storefront to online stores, companies can become more streamlined and efficient and also compete in the market.
Work From Home May Lasts Longer
Workers or employees for a long time have been looking forward to work flexibility and companies allowing employees to work remotely was a very rare chance. However, this year due to the coronavirus pandemic allowing work from home has become the only option for companies, especially in areas with the strict lockdown. Even when everything reopens and employees return to work companies will still have the responsibility to protect employees and ensure all the safety measures at the workplace. The majority of the companies including
Facebook and Google have already extended their work from home policies for 2021. This is resulting in the development of new and smart technologies to allow employees to work from home. Meanwhile, existing technologies such as Webex, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom are witnessing huge growth due to easy to use and secure features.
In the coming years with companies extending their work from home policies, people will likely migrate from larger cities to more cost-effective locales. This migration will result in increasing demand for better connectivity and networks in remote areas. Which will result in the development of new technologies offering better network and connectivity.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has led to a digital transformation resulting in the development of new technologies that are likely to see exponential growth in 2021. New challenges being faced by organizations due to pandemic has also resulted in investment in new technologies by companies to make it easy to carry various operations remotely. Digital transformation will be one of the focus areas of organizations globally.
About the Author
Ritesh Patil is the co-founder of Mobisoft Infotech, helping startups and enterprises in mobile technology. Mobisoft Infotech is a global technology services company that combines deep domain expertise and cross-industry experience offering a full range of product life-cycle services to Startups to large enterprises. We’ve gained insight from working on innovative products and disruptive technologies that also helping us to collaborate with customers for continuous market readiness and improvements.
Featured image: ©Twenty20Photos
