As analysts we spend a lot of time hunched over our
computer screens. That’s why it’s important to get out to trade shows
now and again – not just for the fresh air, but to meet and hear
first–hand from key players in the IT channel about their challenges
and concerns.
It was great to see a whole host of AV vendors at
the AV Showcase by Peerless–AV recently – indicative of the close
technology business relationships many have with the vendor in this
tight–knit ecosystem.
Key takeaways from the show
It’s been a solid start to the year for large
format displays (LFDs). After year–on–year (YoY) Q1 growth of 3.2% in
units and 8.6% YoY in revenue, April saw stellar growth of 31.4% and
15.6% YoY respectively, according to CONTEXT data. But what’s the
story behind the figures? Several themes stood out at the show.
Sustainability: Many vendors
are now bringing customers’ attention to power consumption, and the
savings which can be made as part of a sustainability drive. This in
turn is boosting demand for LFDs with a power–saving option. In
addition to this we now see an increase in products which are being
made from increased recycled materials, options to reduce packaging,
and a rise in interest in the growing area of ePaper Displays.
LED: Vendors are really
pushing LED at their stands these days – particularly as an option
for building video walls, due to their seamless design. LED is also
an important component for AR/XR use cases. We’re seeing prices for
direct view (DV)–LED in particular continue to come down, which will
spur interest.
AI: LFDs are just one of many
technology categories impacted by the AI revolution. But it’s
certainly one of the most exciting. Signage monitors are
increasingly fitted with or being used with a camera and content
management system. This enables them to take advantage of AI to
track users and other elements – to create or change the ads in real
time based on what’s happening in front of them and collect
analytics on customer interaction.
Unified communication/hybrid working:
As more employees work from home more days of the week,
organisations are scaling down the size of their meeting rooms,
meaning they need smaller display sizes for those rooms. As sales of
smaller LFD form factors increase, we’re seeing prices come down, as
well as an increase in camera’s, speakers, microphones and other
VoIP products which are add ons to LFDs.
Arms/Mounts/Stands are helping to
bring all of the technology together: There is an
increasing interest in this area as vendors such as Peerless AV
respond to the changes/new additions to AV technology, responding
with a series of products which are compatible with these
products, allow for neat and tidy installation, and provide added
benefits for users.
Stay updated on the
latest news and developments about this and other
trending topics by following CONTEXT Europe on
LinkedIn.
