ELECTRICITY is set to put the wheels on cycling, with 130 million e-bikes set to be sold in the next three years, according to the latest technology predictions from Deloitte.
It predicts that the proportion of people who cycle to work will grow by one percentage-point over the next three years, equating to tens of billions of additional bicycle rides per year.
UK sales of audio-books will reach £115 million next year, and will surpass sales of e-books in the US by around 2023, while the report also claims one million robots will be sold for enterprise use in 2020, generating £27 billion in revenues globally.
And Deloitte predicts that more than 100 companies worldwide will be evaluating or have deployed 5G in industrial environments such as factories, ports, and logistics centres by the end of next year.
“Over the next 12-months, cycling should shift from being a competitive hobby enjoyed by active individuals, to a simple way for a wide range of people to get from place to place,” according to Paul Lee, global head of technology, media and telecommunications research at Deloitte.
“This will play a significant role in easing congestion, while improving air quality and public health.
He said: “The first patent for electrifying a bike was filed in the 19th century, but 2020 will be the year e-bikes really pick up pace.
“Improvements in lithium ion battery technology, pricing, and power has led to a significant surge in interest globally. And the number of e-bikes on the roads will easily outpace other e-vehicles by the end of next year.”
Danny McConnell, technology partner at Deloitte in Belfast, said: “5G is poised to be the most disruptive mobile technology since the mobile phone itself. The way we work fundamentally changed by the launch of 4G and wi-fi.
“5G will bring a similar transformation to the connectivity of machines and devices, delivering a boost to productivity in factories and warehouses, in particular. While it's likely to be a long time until we see autonomous cars on the open road, factories will be full of 5G-enabled autonomous machines from next year.”
The report predicts that revenues from advertising supported video on demand (AVOD) will reach £500 million in the UK in 2020, representing 10 percent of all television advertising revenues. The forecast for 2020 implies 17 per cent year-on-year growth, compared to five per cent growth for the overall UK advertising market.
Mr McConnell added: “TV viewers are being spoilt with an ever-widening array of some of the best television content ever made. Generating advertising revenue will allow streaming platforms to maintain spend on hit shows and major rights, for both traditional broadcasters and online-only providers.
“As production costs grow and competitor platforms continue to launch, streaming services must look for new sources of revenue to invest in making stand-out, quality content.”
SOME DELOITTE PREDICTIONS:
· More than 130 million e-bikes will be sold globally between 2020 and 2023;
· More than 100 companies worldwide will begin testing private 5G deployments by the end of 2020;
· Revenues from advertising video on demand will reach £500m in the UK, representing 10 percent of all television advertising revenues;
· UK sales of audiobooks will reach £115 million in 2020, and will surpass sales of e-books in the US by around 2023;
· One million robots will be sold for enterprise use in 2020, generating £27 billion in revenues globally.
