PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
At this year’s DISTREE EMEA event, GfK’s global director for IT Rudi Aunkofer has warning the channel to stop using ‘smart’ to push products.
In his keynote, which looked at a brief history of technology, Aunkofer focused on disruptive technology, telling the audience that being disruptive itself is nothing new, but it’s the speed of change in the tech landscape that is increasing, and will continue to.
“The number of disruptive things will increase due to high market potentials, and distributors will have to manage the transformation between technologies,” said Aunkofer.
He cited 2016 as ‘the year of transformation’, saying purchase power and innovations are driving demand in the channel.
“Small tablets and computing are selling well. Hybrid is winning for the moment and cloud storage is becoming an elemental part of our lives,” he said.
Aunkofer told DISTREE attendees that hybrid businesses are most likely to succeed in 2016, commenting: “There is potential everywhere, but the key thing is timing.”
He warned that the channel, and in particular, distributors, need to ‘be relevant’ and understand that buzzwords like ‘smart’ have been over saturated and are no long helping to sell products.
“Disties need to guarantee product availability and shipment to ‘pick up points’ such as stores and to customers. Distribution and channels have to focus on their own USPs. Buzzwords like ‘smart’ aren’t helping anymore.”
So what is changing in 2016? Aunkofer believes that life cycles are offering new opportunities due to innovation and EMEA demand is slowing down for Android and iOS tablets due to strong saturation.
He cited AR, VR, UHD, IoT, Smart Home and Drones amongst the things to look out for in the year ahead.
Finally, Aunkofer declared that a ‘digital and connected society’ will be a ‘game changer’ within the tech industry in the future.
“Smart Home is likely to start with security, energy and lightning and appliances,” he said, warning the audience: “Don’t follow the headlines, follow the real trends when it comes to Smart Home.”
Aunkofer’s comment about future tech seems to be on the mark if the DISTREE exhibition is anything to go by.
Looking around the show floor, Smart Home and IoT products, along with PC gaming and VR, are stealing the limelight at DISTREE EMEA this year.
Stay tuned for our roundup of the best tech on show later today.
