As Futuresource begin to collect responses to this year’s Smart Home Consumer Survey, our smart home team has discussed key predictions on how events in the last two years have shaped consumer spending, motivations for purchasing, and overall sentiment around smart home products. Sophie Harding, Graduate Research Analyst, provides her insight.

Cloud services continue to make an impact on the AV industry, ushering in new capabilities and changing the way that AV systems are designed, installed, and operated. Now, the inescapable rise of IoT, along with cloudification, virtualisation and container-based applications, is bringing AV and IoT devices together into a shared domain

The home audio market has endured its fair share of turbulence after an unprecedented boom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the market is wrestling with instabilities, Futuresource Consulting’s new report on the Global Home Audio Market indicates a re-strengthening from 2024 onwards.

After a spell of limited innovation during the pandemic, professional pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras are entering a new technological era. Futuresource Consulting’s brand-new report reveals that AI and automation are the powerhouses behind many of the new-generation products entering the market, with auto-tracking, facial recognition, and automated camera switching being some key product features.

XR is a catchall term that refers to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), three technologies that – although in varying ways and to different degrees – help immerse an individual in virtual spaces.

Unsurprisingly, global video entertainment has already seen a wealth of change in 2023. As certain markets near saturation point, subscription services are adopting various strategies to retain viewers and combat churn.

Global demand for televisions is set to remain weak in 2023, with total TV shipments for 2023 forecast to contract by 2%. Although some pockets of optimism remain, and the market is expected to stabilise in the long term, inflation continues to rear its head and dull the global economic outlook, leaving consumers unmotivated to upgrade their televisions. That’s according to Futuresource Consulting’s latest report into the global TV market outlook.

One of the biggest audio developments over the last few decades has undoubtedly been the seismic shift from physical to digital. It began in the 1980s, when the CD slowly began to take up valuable real estate on store shelves. By the 90s, CDs were the standard format, but their reign wouldn’t last forever.

Sustainability is emerging as an increasing priority for K-12 and higher education schools, says Futuresource Consulting’s latest report on the education technology sector.

Futuresource Consulting has revealed the topics of focus for Audio Collaborative 2023, the tenth official gathering of the firm’s annual event. Taking place on the 9th of November at London Soho’s Ham Yard Hotel, Audio Collaborative will unite the far reaches of the audio industry to discuss the issues and opportunities gripping the landscape.

As if audio wasn’t already pervasive, consumer interest continues to climb. As listening devices diversify and streaming services introduce new personalised features, demand shows no sign of waning. Futuresource research shows that globally, the retail value of the consumer audio market will grow by 11% year on year from 2021.

The pandemic is far behind us, but working from home remains fixed. Futuresource’s research from 2022 shows that the future of work is very much hybrid, prompting changes in how businesses approach meetings. Quality AV technology is becoming a key consideration for almost every enterprise, as they grapple with new working patterns and how to best support the dispersed workforce.

In May, the Cologne Messe hosted ANGA COM. This annual event draws executives from around the world away from the comfort of their fibre-connected homes and offices to discuss connectivity and content in the flesh.

Student engagement is often regarded as key to improving learning outcomes. But when teachers are struggling under ever-increasing workloads, a dearth of resources, and inadequate compensation, re-engaging teachers is just as vital in creating a mutually beneficial education system.

The headphones market continues along growth path despite stifled demand in developed markets and global economic uncertainty. Volumes saw incremental growth at 1% in 2022, though revenues climbed by a healthy 9%.

Games continue to prove themselves to be an immutable part of popular culture. The forty-year-old franchise Zelda recently smashed records with the release of Tears of the Kingdom (TOTK), shifting an eye-watering 10 million copies within the first three days

Entertainment moves at a lightning pace. Consumer habits are constantly shifting as new and immediate platforms disrupt the landscape. Technologies are advancing rapidly, and the possibilities they offer are generating excitement across the industry. With plenty more solutions primed for launch, it can be hard to pin down what’s next for the future of streaming.

XR is inching us ever closer to the virtual world. Immersion is the cornerstone of this innovative technology, with VR being particularly effective in engrossing users in new virtual realms.