May 30, 2015 May 30, 2015 RECAP Conference Sessions and Industry Movers: Key Takeaways • The car Is the largest mobile device • Intel is as much a communications company as it is a computing company • IBM wants to be the architect of the IoT data infrastructure • IoT issues and bottlenecks include security and data scientists • Companies need to be on Twitter to connect with the digital audience • In the future, humane robots will take over our daily tasks • The world of retail will shift to a pay-per-use business model • Indiegogo is a great, global go-to-market solution for “makers” (do-it-yourselfers who design and build their own technologies and products) DEBORAH WEINSWIG Executive Director—Head of Global Retail & Technology Fung Business Intelligence Centre [email protected] New York: 646.839.7017 Fung Business Intelligence Centre (FBIC) publication: CES asia 2015 recap Copyright © 2015 The Fung Group, All rights reserved. 1 May 30, 2015 It’s a Wrap We attended the inaugural CES Asia 2015 event, which took place in Shanghai, China, from May 25 to May 27. CES Asia focused on three major themes: connectivity, innovation and the Internet of Things (IoT). More than 200 exhibitors from 16 countries represented 14 product categories —3-D printing, automotive, content and online, green technologies, health, home entertainment, lifestyle, mobile, robotics, smart home, sports and fitness, video/4K Ultra HD, video gaming and wearables. Over the three days, more than 20,000 attendees and 1,200 members of the media attended the event, which showcased some of the latest innovations and technologies entering the Asian marketplace. The conference also included a packed schedule of speakers from leading Chinese and global brands in consumer electronics, data analytics, advertising and technology. The industry leaders and technologists in attendance shared views that were overwhelmingly optimistic about a future in which connected devices will make our lives easier. The convergence of the cloud, IoT (sensing devices) and Big Data analytics will allow companies to provide customized services based on a customer’s profile and context. We’ll have connected homes—powered by artificial intelligence (AI)—that turn on the AC just in time to accommodate our arrival back from work and smart cars that will turn commuting time into free time. Even though both of these technology areas have yet to face the user adoption test, the prevailing opinion is that we’re not too far away from the connected future. Some of the devices showcased at CES Asia 2015 proved this point. At the end of this report, we highlight some of the companies whose exhibition booths we visited during the show, as well as the devices that won the show’s innovation awards. Conference Sessions and Industry Movers: Key Takeaways • The car Is the largest mobile device • Intel is as much a communications company as it is a computing company • IBM wants to be the architect of the IoT data infrastructure • IoT issues and bottlenecks include security and data scientists • Companies need to be on Twitter to connect with the digital audience • In the future, humane robots will take over our daily tasks • The world of retail will shift to a pay-per-use business model • Indiegogo is a great, global go-to-market solution for “makers” (do-it-yourselfers who design and build their own technologies and products) Fung Business Intelligence Centre (FBIC) publication: CES asia 2015 recap Copyright © 2015 The Fung Group, All rights reserved. 1 May 30, 2015 The Car Is the Largest Mobile Device One thing that stands out when looking at the exhibitor list and keynote lineup of CES Asia is the considerable focus on car companies. Audi, Cadillac, Ford, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen all showcased technological innovations at the event, while the pre-event opening keynote was delivered by Rupert Stadler, CEO of Audi. Stadler’s presentation clearly explained why the conference has such a heavy focus on cars. He said that we’ll live in a connected world and that it’s up to us to decide whether we want to get changed by it or drive the change ourselves. He then revealed that in 2017, Audi will release the first car available to the public with piloted driving, the Audi A8. That means we’re only two years away from seeing self-driving cars on the roads and that cars will become a lot more than just transportation vehicles. As Stadler said, “The car will be the largest mobile device.” Intel Is as Much a Communications Company as It Is a Computing Company Following Stadler’s opening keynote, Intel’s Kirk Skaugen showcased some of the company’s technology that will serve as the backbone of the IoT world. According to Skaugen, by 2020 there will be 50 billion connected devices and more data than there are stars in the Milky Way. Three main drivers underpin this trend: • Further advances in personal computing, which will make computing power faster, cheaper and smaller; • The need for new experiences, such as immersive, 360-degree video in 4K, wireless charging and wireless display, and computing without passwords; and • The proliferation of sensory wearable devices that connect and compute. Skaugen showcased multiple Intel-powered devices that illustrate these drivers in action. For example, in the personal computing category, he displayed an all-in-one device (TV, laptop, tablet) and a 2-in-1 device (laptop, tablet) that incorporate substantial computing power with slick design. He also showed multiple examples of technologies that provide new user experiences, including a magnetic resonance wireless charging device and an eye recognition technology developed by Intel and EyeSmart. In terms of Intel-powered wearables, Skaugen highlighted the Curie and the Edison, tiny computers that can go into practically any wearable device. The Edison-powered intelligent Spider Dress lifts its mechanical limbs up to an attack position if someone approaches the wearer too aggressively. The second keynote of the first day was delivered by IBM’s D.C. Chien and Scott Burnett. The presentation served to fill in the remaining part of the IoT picture that was left blank after Intel’s keynote. In the connected world, data will be captured at the device level from devices with significant sensor and computing capability. Then, the data will be uploaded to the cloud, where it will be processed by Big Data analytics in order to be turned into actionable insights that enhance the user experience. Fung Business Intelligence Centre (FBIC) publication: CES asia 2015 recap Copyright © 2015 The Fung Group, All rights reserved. 2 May 30, 2015 Naturally, Burnett focused on the data analytics component and highlighted IBM’s capabilities in the field. He also discussed a study that IBM conducted on 1,000 businesses. The study defines Generation D enterprises as companies that are data rich and driven by predictive/prescriptive analytics. The study predicts that Generation D companies are the ones that will be winning in tomorrow’s market. Source: IBM Source: IBM IoT Issues and Bottlenecks: Security and Data Scientists Deborah Kan of The Wall Street Journal moderated a panel discussion on “The Impact of the Internet of Things,” featuring experts from IBM and Accenture and input from WiWide, a Chinese company that provides wireless Internet solutions. Here are some of the key points the panel made: • Every major customer of Accenture is exploring IoT. • Every CEO must have an IoT strategy and every industry will need one. • IoT will optimize after-sale services; it will allow consumer electronics companies to really understand how appliances are used by each customer. • Security is the one issue everyone is nervous about. • The bottleneck for the technology is going to be the people analyzing the data. • The real winner in the world of IoT is the consumer. Fung Business Intelligence Centre (FBIC) publication: CES asia 2015 recap Copyright © 2015 The Fung Group, All rights reserved. 3 May 30, 2015 Companies Need to Be on Twitter to Connect with the Digital Audience The first Industry Mover presentation on the second day of CES Asia was from Twitter’s VP of Asia Pacific, Latin America & Emerging Markets, Shailesh Rao. Rao opened an engaging talk by highlighting China’s increasing relevance in the digital world. He pointed out that almost half of the world’s Internet users are located in China and that the country accounts for 37% of social media users globally. Furthermore, he noted that these numbers are expected to increase as China’s economy and middle class continue to expand at a rapid pace. Rao then described the new digital world and how governments and companies can use Twitter as a platform to connect with their audiences in a new way. He elaborated that digital messaging on Twitter has to be: • Relevant—live communication of something that’s important in this moment • Public—communication that is conversational in nature and open to anyone to respond to • Creative—communication that is engaging When it possesses these three characteristics, communication on Twitter becomes the digital equivalent of word-of-mouth advertising, as users retweet to their networks content they like, approve of, or find interesting and relevant. Content on Twitter is also global in nature, which is why companies can use the platform to connect with people beyond the geographies where they’re doing business. Rao pointed out that companies can further leverage Twitter to understand what customers want and need in real time. As evidence, he stated that last year there were 53.9 million tweets starting with the phrase “I want” or “I need,” an indication of consumers’ unmet desires and preferences. In the Future, Humane Robots Will Take over Our Daily Tasks The second event we attended that day was a panel discussion moderated by JD.com’s Chief Technical Advisor, Dennis Weng.