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Digital offerings help Indian IT vendors shine better than others

Naushad K. Cherrayil

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November 9, 2020

Digital offerings help Indian IT vendors shine better than others

Data centre capacity of India, which has the world’s second-largest data subscriber population, is expected to grow to 1,078 MW by 2025 from 375 MW in the first half of this year.
Clients focus on cost rationalisation and look for partners that can provide them with a consultative approach along with the management of their entire IT infrastructure.

Dubai: Indian IT vendors continue to shine more than their global counterparts, despite Covid-19, due to cloud and digital transformation offerings.

Infosys increased their digital revenue contribution to the overall revenue from 41.9 per cent in March 2020 to 47.3 per cent in September this year while Wipro’s digital operations and platforms service line accounted for 15.5 per cent of the revenue as compared to 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter.

Tech Mahindra reported net new deals worth $421 million for the quarter ended September 2020, besides partnering with Amazon Web Services (AWS) for blockchain technology and VitalTech for offering digital technologies to healthcare providers.

TCS too has won key deals for digital transformation from women’s fashion-apparel retail chain ‘maurices’ and customer experience transformation from Travelport during the quarter.

HCL’s Mode 1-2-3 Strategy has enabled it to win digital transformation deals globally. Additionally, it has launched key products like Automation Power Suite, NetBot, updated versions of its DRYiCE offerings to further strengthen its digital portfolio.

For L&T Infotech, digital revenue accounted for approximately 42.9 per cent of the revenue for the quarter ended September 20 as against 42 per cent in June 2020.

Even though the revenue for the June 2020 quarter declined for most of the Indian IT vendors, Sunil Kumar Verma, Lead ICT Analyst at GlobalData, said that there was some silver lining for them for September 2020, thanks to their digital focus.

“Demand for digital is expected to grow as companies focus on having intelligent, automated, migration acceleration platforms and services,” he said.

Potential agile business environment

Leading technology vendors continue to offer added offerings in the digital space to improve their top-line revenue and maintain a healthy profit margin.

Companies are focusing on strategic product offerings to operate in the current as well as the potential agile business environment to meet customer expectations via the digital channel.

Moreover, big tech giants are expanding their footprint in India as digital transformation is gaining traction.

Recently, Amazon has announced its plans to invest $2.8 billion in a new AWS Cloud region in Telangana, Hyderabad, in the southern state of India. The new AWS Asia Region will be Amazon’s second infrastructure region in India.

IBM has announced that it is creating an AI Centre of excellence, in partnership with the Indian government’s e-marketplace (GeM), to increase usability, transparency, drive efficiency and cost savings in public procurement.

Covid fuels cloud adoption

According to a recent report by consultancy firm JLL, the data centre capacity of India, which has the world’s second-largest data subscriber population, is expected to grow to 1,078 MW by 2025 from 375 MW in the first half of this year, registering an annual growth rate of 21 per cent, A total of 9.3 million square feet of real estate will be added to the existing capacity with Mumbai leading the numbers followed by Chennai and Hyderabad.

The Covid-19 pandemic reinforced the dependence of several industries on digital infrastructure and significantly increased cloud adoption.

Verma said that majority of the Indian IT vendors had already concentrated their efforts towards the digital world through their cloud, digitisation and automation offerings.

Though the adoption of digital offerings and enterprises’ efforts of embracing the digital world existed previously as well, he said the Covid-19 outbreak has further accelerated it.

However, he said that workload migration to the cloud, automation of the existing processes, infrastructure modernisation, cybersecurity, AI-based applications deployments, adoption of digital platforms are some of the key areas, which are enabling Indian technology vendors to sustain in the current scenario.

Indian IT vendors are more likely to be in demand in the coming years, as the clients focus on cost rationalisation and look for partners that can provide them with a consultative approach along with management of their entire IT infrastructure, thereby offering a value-based service delivery model, he added.

Sees huge potential

“We were fortunate to have a young and talented CTO Shoeb Ahmed who conceptualised it. It is user friendly, simple and does not require a download and/or sign-up from a computer. It does require a download to join for smartphone,” he said.

It works on three platforms – Web, Android and iOS.

The app is already been used by six clients such as healthcare and schools in the US and EezyClinic in the UAE, he said, adding that many political parties used the app for their campaigns and fundraising from the app during the US election.

“We have a lot of users who are using our free version and a lot from the Middle East, US and India. We are in negotiations with many schools, colleges, government agencies, healthcare providers, law firms, political candidates and faith communities. Schools can use for classes. Political candidates can use for their virtual townhalls. Individuals are using for their family reunions. Faith communities are using for their faith-related congregations virtually,” Ahmed said.

The app is end-to-end encrypted and can be hosted on the client’s server.

“It is a big market and if we pay attention to the individual needs and able to address them, there will be big opportunities. Eventually, everyone will have their own video conferencing app, similar to the way they have their emails. We will be adding more features where others are not offering to capture the market and where the money is,” Ahmed said.

Wakuk to focus on smaller cities

Furthermore, he said that it has been pretty positive and many corporate users are “waiting for few of our enhancements. We are in a crowded market and we are listening to the customers and trying to incorporate their input to add more value to the app.”

“We have a long list of enhancements which Zoom, Google and Microsoft are not currently offering to their users,” he said.

Despite its ride-hailing app service being disrupted due to the pandemic, Ahmed said that there is a significant space for emerging ride-sharing firms to grow in the absence of established ones.

The ride-hailing app Wakuk was launched in Hyderabad last year but because of the Covid situation, they were not able to expand.

“What we learnt from Wakuk is that both Uber and Ola are focusing on big cities and what we are trying to focus is on smaller cities where Uber or Ola is not available. We believe this model is sustainable in the long run especially in smaller cities in India because of non-availability of established ones,” he said.

Ahmed sees a lot of potential in smaller cities in India and with internet reaching even the villages, there is a tremendous opportunity, especially for locals and tourists.

“We came very close to signing a contract with Sharjah Taxi this year but because of the pandemic, it is getting delayed. I need to follow it up. We want to play like a franchise model. We are looking to team up with potential entrepreneurs and businessmen who want to have a social impact.

“We are in conversion with Tata Motors and philanthropist Azim Premji to team up for certain cities and raise some money from them. I think there is still some type of experiments needed in the market.

Uber and Ola have been making money but it hasn’t turned out to be a sustainable business. Wakuk’s subscription model is beneficial to both drivers and consumers,” he said.

Microsoft and Salesforce ranked leaders in low-code space

Naushad K. Cherrayil

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November 4, 2020

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Microsoft and Salesforce ranked leaders in low-code space

Low-code enabled AI and automation innovations, coupled with the cloud, create a culture of data ubiquity.

Bengaluru: Microsoft and Salesforce have been ranked by GlobalData as leaders in the low-code market segment after causing a tectonic shift in this market with the automation capabilities within its Power Platform.

Low-code is a software development approach that requires little to no coding in order to build applications and processes.

The low-code market segment has become fiercely competitive, and Microsoft’s Power Automate is expected, in itself, to be highly competitive when coupled with Azure’s backend integration and storage service.

“Low-code enabled artificial intelligence (AI) and automation innovations, coupled with the cloud, have created a culture of data ubiquity where data from virtually any source can be accessed and integrated into modern apps,” Charlotte Dunlap, Principal Analyst at GlobalData, said.

However, she said that enterprises are prioritising modern software delivery initiatives through these development platforms. Increased prominence is ensuring lucrative funding, acquisitions, and profitability, prompting new low-code plans among cloud giants including Google and Amazon.

Low-code platforms consolidate

Low-code platforms are consolidating further to include automation technologies, largely through robotic process automation (RPA) as a key component for shoring up DevOps models. Automation of backend data integration supports operations’ need to digitise workflows and business processes to support application lifecycle management (ALM) and CICD (continuous integration, continuous delivery).

The need to remove any red tape from the app modernisation process has never been greater following the Covid-19 crisis, Dunlap said, spurring organisations to accelerate digital transformations.

“Whether enterprises are entrenched in new software delivery efforts or barely beginning them, the impact of Covid-19 has CIOs opting for emerging technologies to rapidly develop digital projects and combat inevitable downward economic outcomes. Many are betting on next-generation low-code/no-code and automation platforms,” she said.

Accelerating apps development

The advancements, coupled with economic pressures from the pandemic, she said have placed this market segment prominently at the industry forefront for its value in helping to accelerate the application development and delivery process.

Shining a light on low-code’s importance is a flurry of projects spanning apps for at-home workers to providing interactive healthcare assistance to communities in order to provide new ways for enterprises to conduct business with customers and partners, she said.

“Microsoft has significantly invested in Automation via Power Automate and a recent RPA acquisition, Softomotive. Power Platform plans include the ability to create Power Apps directly from within Power Platforms.”

Monitor manufacturers cash in on Covid-19

Ana Mary Joseph

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November 4, 2020

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Monitor manufacturers cash in on Covid-19

Shipments expected to grow 5.4% year on year in 2020.
Asus to register 40% year-on-year growth and Samsung 30% growth among the top 10 brands.

Bengaluru: Monitor manufacturers have been cashing in on the growing demand due to work from home and remote learning initiatives arisen by Covid-19.

TrendForce analyst Anita Wang said that the pandemic has fundamentally transformed the way consumers make purchases this year.

For most members of the general public, she said this transformation entails a switch to work from home and distance education for work and study, respectively, and the ensuing demand for end-devices, whether purchased out-of-pocket or subsidised by employers, has been wholly reflected in the consumer market.

Global monitor shipment is projected to grow by 5.4 per cent year on year this year, owing to strong shipment performances against the downtrend by monitor brands that primarily focus on the consumer markets.

As of 2020, these brands have experienced three consecutive years of year on year shipment growth.

However, Wang said that brands that primarily focus on the consumer market have performed considerably better in terms of shipment than brands that focus on the commercial market.

Dell is expected to remain the leader, followed by AOC/Philips, HP and Samsung.

Gaming adds fuel to the growth

Asus, which is expected to remain in the eighth position this year also, is expected to reach a 40% YoY increase in monitor shipment, which is far superior to the industry average.

“Asus’ growth rate should be the highest among the top 10 monitor brands for 2020. Their remarkable shipment performance derives from its longstanding effort in cultivating the consumer market, in which it has established a positive brand image and clear product positioning,” Wang said.

Moreover, she said that the Taiwanese brand’s successful product planning also means its gaming monitors have been wildly popular with consumers in the European and US markets.

In the top ten, Samsung and Asus should benefit from the strong consumer market demand and thereby score the highest shipment growth.

Samsung has been particularly active in cultivating its presence in the monitor market, she said, adding that the strong demand for its curved monitors and the company’s aggressive product strategy in the North American market has been able to improve its shipment performance substantially.

For 2020, Wang said that Samsung is expected to reach a 30 per cent year-on-year increase in monitor shipment, thus raising its rank from sixth place last year to fourth place this year.

Covid-19 gives shot in arm to game console market

Ana Mary Joseph

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November 3, 2020

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Covid-19 gives shot in arm to game console market

Samsung and LG are targeting to increase sales of 8K TV units to generate higher revenues and profit margins.
High cost and lack of content will delay 8K TV set adoptions and only around one per cent of worldwide flat panel TV shipments will be 8K TV sets in 2021 and only around 1% of worldwide flat panel TV shipments will be 8K TV sets in 2021.

Bengaluru: The Covid-19 pandemic is having different impacts on the consumer entertainment segment.

The pandemic boosted the game console market yet curbed flat-panel TV sales. The arrival of next-generation consoles combined with gaming entertainment demand driven by the pandemic will contribute to game console market growth in 2020.

Tech market advisory firm ABI Research forecasts that 40 million game console units will ship in 2020, a six per cent increase from 2019.

Total game console unit shipments declined in 2019 as gamers waited for the launch of next-generation consoles by Sony and Microsoft in the holiday season of 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020 has boosted the gaming market overall. With millions of consumers forced to stay at home in the first few months, game downloads and the number of active gaming users significantly increased.

The demand for game consoles also increased in the first quarter of this year, but supply chain disruption resulted in lower unit shipments.

Travel restrictions

As operations resumed nearly back to normal in the second quarter, game console makers reported higher unit shipments in the second quarter.

In addition to increasing demand in gaming, Khin Sandi Lynn, Industry Analyst at ABI Research, said that long-awaited next-generation consoles are targeting launch in November 2020, which will further drive the game console market.

“Although governments are reopening economies, still imposed travel restrictions can impact logistics. Game console makers need to prepare for efficient production, content creation, and distribution plans to avoid supply chain shortages, especially during the holiday season when sales will peak,” she said.

Economic uncertainties

While the pandemic boosted the game console market, it challenged the flat-panel TV market. The worldwide flat-panel TV market is sluggish due to economic uncertainties, and the 8K TV market will remain low in 2020.

“There had been much anticipation of 8K TV market growth given the 8K broadcast content scheduled for Summer 2020 Olympics. However, 2020 Olympics’ postponement combined with the overall economic downturn has resulted in low 8K TV unit shipments in 2020,” Lynn said.

Despite the challenges, she said that flat-panel TV makers continue to promote 8K TV sets.

High-end TV makers such as Samsung and LG are targeting to increase sales of 8K TV units to generate higher revenues and profit margins. TCL announced 8K TV sets at CES 2020.

Since consumers are struggling with the pandemic’s economic challenges, priorities on purchasing media devices have changed. Highly competitive pricing is essential to boost sales, as seen with Samsung’s promotional prices for its 8K TV sets to boost sales volumes.

“Although 8K TV set price points have declined from a year ago, the cost of most 8K TV sets is still relatively high ranging from $3,500 to $30,000. High cost and lack of content will delay 8K TV set adoptions and only around one per cent of worldwide flat panel TV shipments will be 8K TV sets in 2021,” Lynn said.

How to turbocharge your enterprise application with contextual analytics

Contributor

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November 3, 2020

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How to turbocharge your enterprise application with contextual analytics

Contextual analytics, embedded into the application’s workflows, can be a huge boost to usability and value.

Software product managers and developers typically treat analytics as a standalone capability—something to be integrated into their application.

Dashboards or reporting modules are often added as an afterthought, not as a strategic component of the application. As a product feature, analytics is undoubtedly a valuable tool.

But offering it merely as a tacked-on function is an approach that lags where your users are today.

When data analytics is limited to dashboards, users must switch away from their transactional environment whenever they need to interrogate data or derive insight.

This disrupts workflows and chains of thought, creating friction for the user.

Moreover, a standalone analytics capability doesn’t provide context or guided analysis. Users must look for anomalies or trends manually.

As a result, they are less likely to dive into analytics to support good business decision-making.

Contextual analytics, on the other hand, gives users a powerful tool right at the point of their daily work. Contextual analytics is defined as any analytics solution that is integrated directly into an application’s core workflows.

This approach delivers the benefits of analytics in the situational framework where decisions must be made.

Embedding analytics in this fashion creates significant value for the user.

Charts, tables and metrics sit side-by-side on the screen, alongside the application’s central functions. With one click the user gains instant, guided and dynamic insight.

Such an improvement is helpful for all kinds of business activity. Retail store managers can instantly access demand forecasts while creating weekly work schedules.

Inventory managers can view trends and analyse stock without leaving their ordering screen. Supply chain, finance, logistics, sales and marketing, manufacturing—any process involving routine data processing can profit from contextual analytics.

A rich workflow asset

When embedded into transactional workflows, contextual analytics can deliver two forms of understanding. The first comes from predefined visualisations, ranging from simple KPI numbers to line and bar charts and even contextual dashboards.

These visualisations are presented based on a user action; a customer’s purchase history, for example, can pop up in chart format while viewing the account record, enabling the user to make decisions about sales incentives or priorities for service.

Second, are dynamic analyses and alerts. These indicate that either thresholds have been crossed or anomalies in a record have been discovered, prompting the user to explore and take further action. Pop-up alerts can be invaluable in sales, production, finance or many other disciplines.

For both predefined and dynamic contextual analytics, outcomes can be based on simple aggregations of transactional data or as the result of sophisticated data science modelling (e.g., propensity to purchase). Specific outcomes can be set by either the product manager or the user to maximise utility.

Contextual analysis is ideal for supporting or triggering actions according to any business need. The capability enhances transactional workflows by providing metrics on a particular transaction; it will also trigger a new workflow via an alert or suggestion for action, based on the output of a data science model.

Of course, none of this means that dashboard-based analytics aren’t still important. Users will always need to conduct broad data analysis.

Dashboards and/or report analytics allow users to monitor overall business performance, drilling down when necessary into the details behind the numbers.

With the secondary addition of contextual analytics, however, users can be continually guided in their decision-making as they work. They receive a constant flow of deeper insight, supporting management tasks intuitively at a granular level.

Deployment framework for developers

Embedding transactional analytics into enterprise applications can be guided according to a maturity model. There are five possible stages of product development:

Stage One: No Capability. The main engineering focus is on bringing a new application to market. Minimal Viable Product (MVP) attributes lead development, and reporting capabilities are rarely included.
Stage Two: Data Exports. Analytics are provided based on customer feedback, but only through a CSV download or API access that allows the end-user to analyse data in their preferred tool. The burden of building analyses rests with the customer.
Stage Three: Basic Reporting. A limited set of reports are supported by analytics, and in-house developers are tasked with creating the capability, often to the detriment of new features for the core product.
Stage Four: Standalone Dashboard and Reporting Module. This is often the end journey for most enterprise applications. Self-service reporting and analysis are available via out-of-the-box dashboards and reports.
Stage Five: Contextual Analytics. Sophisticated, automated analysis is available as part of the application’s core workflows, as well as at the dashboard. Users are guided to optimal decision-making at both the transactional and reporting level.

These stages are not mutually exclusive. Especially for stages four and five, they can be addictive, so that end-users will have a variety of mechanisms to access the data they need, at the time they need it.

Accelerating implementation

Elevating the end-user analytics experience is easier to achieve than it once was, thanks to BI vendors that specialise in embedded and contextual analytics built on an open platform.

The best vendors can adapt quickly and easily to product development roadmaps, aligning features to meet specific needs and following up with administrative tools and automation processed to support the lowest possible cost of ownership.

Working with an analytics vendor means development teams will have maximum support from prototype and design to integration, deployment and subsequent iteration.

Options for Windows and Linux, on-premise or cloud, will ensure the versatility, security and scalability required for highly marketable offerings.

How customers view analytics

As a product feature, analytics can often be dismissed as an afterthought—but your users don’t see it that way. BI analytics is increasingly seen as critical to business governance.

Users want to glean as much insight as possible from the data they’re collecting—and on multiple levels. This means your users want to get more from your product, even in ways they haven’t yet imagined.

Contextual analytics can provide that enhanced appeal for your application, putting your product out in front at a time when enterprise applications are more essential—and more competitive—than ever before.

Glen Rabie is the chief executive officer of Yellowfin, a provider of analytics solutions for three million users at over 27,000 companies worldwide. After serving in multiple executive and consulting roles for a major Australian bank, Rabie co-founded Yellowfin in 2003 to help businesses discover, understand and act faster on the opportunities buried in their digital information.