Digital Convergence to Shape the Ubiquitous Networking Society – From CEATEC Japan 2009

October 10, 2009 – Osaka, Japan,

CEATEC Japan, cutting-edge IT & electronics comprehensive exhibition was held in October 6-10, under the theme “Digital Convergence – Defining the Shape of the Future”. For many IT and electronics companies (perhaps especially Japanese companies), CEATEC is a good opportunity to introduce their cutting-edge technologies and concepts to the media and the general public, and this exhibition draws much attention worldwide. CEATEC Japan 2009 official website has been posting news updates, and there have already been many articles on CNET etc. There was also an evening TV news in Japan on 5th (i.e. before the opening) introducing some of the highlights.

Some highlights include future of mobile phones, new concept TV in which operation can be done without a remote control, future robots that can sing and dance or ride a bicycle, future EV car, and future nursing care products including a bed that can become a wheelchair which can be operated automatically by IT and transport system that is more user-friendly than current wheelchairs. It is amazing to see these includes products and companies not only from the traditional IT and electronics companies but also from automobiles (e.g. Nissan). The bed is of Panasonic group that has always been a major player in this exhibition. As far as the author understands, Panasonic used to introduce nursing care products in exhibition specialized in Home Care and Rehabilitation Exhibition only and not at CEATEC.

What is worth noting is that not only IT and electronics business but also automobile and healthcare business that were out of scope of this exhibition in the past also started to converge, creating new concept products, services and business, which implies the ongoing dramatic transformation of respective industries, shaping new competitive landscape in the new ubiquitous networking society. This can be explained by IT marketing principle and theory. As digitalization gets underway, convergence of products and services gets underway leading to lowering of barriers between business domain and industry. Probably the example easiest to understand for everyone is the convergence of digital camera, mobile phone and mobile application connecting to Internet.

Digital convergence has already been creating new market and business involving players from many industries such as online book, music and news, and is opening the door to the new virtualized world like the one depicted in a recent forbes.com article. The author strongly feels that digital convergence has potential to make our lives more convenient and productive in various settings including home, business, education and healthcare/nursing, opening the door to a new world. Whatever the new world may be, the author is very much fascinated by it and is looking forward to it.


References:-

CEATEC Japan 2009 Official Website (English Version)
http://www.ceatec.com/2009/en/news/index.html

Ceatec--gadget extravaganza in Japan
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10367757-92.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Our Virtualized World
http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/06/software-computers-enterprise-technology-virtualization-09_land.html