Page 5 - Jan 2014
P. 5
RESEARCH, ANALYSIS & TRENDS




This accessory can be used to er only books the hotel room with
make and receive phone calls, read the best reviews, but asks digital
text messages and emails, track friends and acquaintances about
workouts and capture photos and their preferences. This new way of
videos, besides understanding communication, which is based on
voice commands via the S Voice interaction, has made the interest-
app. It is even said that Samsung ed parties more confident.
will soon launch the Galaxy Gear 2 “Prosumers” are more aware of
smartwatch that will offer more their key role – and making a dis-
functionalities and work with more tinction between social networks which is explained the easiest way
devices. Apple is also said to be and the meeting in the local pub is by using the example of Wikipedia,
working on an iOS-based smart- getting more and more difficult, as an encyclopedia written by a variety
watch that will be launched in a few the person is one and the same of different people with different
months. and takes over only when it crosses skills, background, age, etc. A few
his/her mind or considers it to be of years ago, the assertion that such a
Besides that, the first signs that the advantage. project just produces a lot of unin-
future belongs to video telephony teresting and especially wrong con-
are seen in the social networks: Certainly, this change has been tent would have been considered
Facebook already surprised its us- strongly driven by the new possibili- by all means as correct. Even the
ers with this function, thanks to ties of communities and real-time makers of Wikipedia assumed that
their partner Skype, and blossomed communication, as these technical and established an editorial authori-
into a complete operating system innovations actually enable re- ty that however got abandoned
for smartphones. In the Google+ views, product testing, price com- quite quickly as it couldn’t keep up,
network these video chats are parisons and crowdsourcing. But neither with the quantity nor the
called "Hangouts" that gain in pop- the prosumer will continue to be quality. Meanwhile, crowdsourcing
ularity and will be supported very considered as self-confident and at literally resounds throughout the
soon by Google Glass. And since eye level, even if tomorrow Face- land, because especially the con-
Google usually moves very careful- book, Twitter and Google would be sumer products industry pounces
ly in its strategy, it is interesting to switched off simultaneously – be- on to the idea with enthusiasm,
see that the company has already cause the culture behind it has such as McDonalds encouraging
started to buy their own networks. simply changed. people to create burgers, or Lego
to design toy sets.
Due to the currently still free mod- There has been a growing trend to
els of Facebook, Google and Ap- structure life around technology in The rise of this so-called
ple's "FaceTime" which are used by the pursuit of constant connectivity “collaborative economy” will have
at least 70% of the world’s internet with the rise of social media. How- significant digital impact as it dis-
population, as well as the fact that ever, this will reach a point of satu- rupts business models, companies,
every smartphone is a suitable ration earlier or later - it is just a industries and economies. In the
transmission medium, and new matter of time – and the return to first phase, the people formerly
gadgets like Google Glass will gain “real life” will gain momentum. In- known as the audience, created
in popularity, an even broader audi- stead people will eagerly start to media and shared it, we know this
ence will soon be dealing with it. embrace technologies that empow- as social media. In the next phase,
The conditions are definitely better er them to achieve a more bal- the people formerly known as con-
than ever in both areas of technolo- anced life – so expect to see an sumers are creating goods, herald-
gy and culture. Therefore, it is im- emergence of “The Internet of ing the maker movement, and may
portant to check on your communi- Things”, all kinds of tools that make also share goods, which we collec-
cation strategy not only regarding it easier to live better by harnessing tively call the “sharing or collabora-
the possible channels, but to con- the best parts of social and digital. tive economy”. What it all means is
tinue including considerations re- Things that seamlessly integrate that people are empowered to get
garding the customers' changing and add value to our lives, hobbies what they need from each other,
culture, too. and interests, rather than taking our rather than to buy it anew.
focus and energy away them.
Rise of the collaborative econo- Corporations that want to be part of
my this new economy must embrace
From crowdsourcing to crowd-
funding the same strategies and allow the
For a long time, the opinion makers crowd to become part of their com-
were to be found in the editorial Through the readiness to engage in pany functions. ◊
and advertising departments, but dialogue regarding quality and
today they are everywhere. The quantity, a special feature has By Daniela La Marca
consumer - practically overnight - quickly developed: crowdsourcing -
became a “prosumer”, who no long-



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