Analog to Digital Revolution – The Next 25 Years

This is the third post in a continuing series from a technology seminar by Creative Strategies at Thomas Nelson on October 23, 2009.

Creative Strategies’ observation concerning the analog to digital revolution:

• The first 25 years was bringing digital to businesses
• The next 25 years is bringing digital to the masses

If you think about the last 25 years, so much of the digital revolution was spent making businesses more productive – e-mail, spreadsheets, ERP systems, etc. The vast majority of the technology spend was in business.

Sure, there have been advances in personal cell phones and gadgets like the iPod and iPhone. These devices, however, are just the tip of the iceberg for what’s to come. Several things are acting as a catalyst to speed up the digital consumer world:

1. The power of semiconductors continue to increase dramatically, as the devices themselves get smaller. The equivalent 600 Mhz processor in a 1999 computer is now in an iPhone.
2. These same semiconductors are in relative terms less expensive for each unit of power and functionality.
3. Net Books, small laptops, are selling for less than $400 opening up computing and the Internet to millions that previously could not afford access. 28 million Net Books will be sold this year; 37 million in 2010.
4. Technology advantages we have learned at work will naturally continue to dovetail into our personal lives.
5. The Internet is prevalent worldwide through cell phone providers, 80% of the world’s population has cell coverage.
6. Today 3.3 billion people have cell phones and it’s growing.
7. Smart phones are exploding globally; all connected to the Internet.
8. Growth in business technology spend has slowed, and it’s refocusing on the consumer.

As indicated in an earlier post, there will be 3 billion Internet-connected consumers on planet Earth next year. Think about that - 3 billion people connected. The implications for content producers like us will be huge. My next blog will discuss how this changes consumer behavior.