Digital Transformation
6 Tech Trends to Expect in 2021
By mid-March 2020, business plans went out the window and many shifted focus from thriving to surviving. Pedro Lopes, group MD of Seidor Africa, says that “technology trends will increasingly evolve in line with our online and digital lives in 2021.” Here’s what else 2021 could bring: 1. Business management systems are more critical than ever Challenges differ from one organisation to the next, but business needs remain the same. Now more than ever, an end-to-end business management system is needed to manage and control daily activities. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_0d0.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_0d0.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } An integrated solution designed specifically for the business will help managers reach targets by cutting manual tasks and automating business-...
5 Tech Trends to Watch in 2021
2020 was a year in which the tech industry came into its own and learned lessons about adaptability, resilience and collaboration that have changed the way we work forever. Perhaps the hardest thing for businesses this year was the uncertainty – which makes predicting trends for 2021 more challenging than usual. But as we move into what will hopefully be a post-COVID reality, here’s a view of the top five tech trends that will impact local businesses in the coming year. 1. Welcome to the Internet of Behaviours (IoB) Anyone who loves a good tech acronym will know the Internet of Things (IoT), is the network of interconnected physical objects – from fridges to data centres – that gather and exchange information and data over the internet. The Internet of Behaviours (IoB) takes this dat...
5 Digital Transformation Predictions for 2021
Although 2020 might have been a year that no one could have predicted, shrouded with uncertainty, technology was the one constant. Helping businesses become more agile and connected with communities in different ways, it provided an essential part of our human and business adaptations to the so-called ‘new normal’. In 2021, technology will continue to provide a path to our economic recovery – and channel partners will play a key role in guiding our progress. They must advocate for the technological transformations that will help businesses to do more than simply survive, but to thrive. And there’s plenty for them to talk about. Here are five tech heroes to watch in the coming year, that will rock the channel and bolster business: 1. Hybrid cloud hype: understanding the full channel opportu...
Unpacking the Digitalisation of South African SMEs
In just a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world at the speed of light. Most businesses weren’t prepared and were forced to adapt to extraordinary challenges in order to continue with business operations –whilst battling to stay afloat. In South Africa, many businesses have opted for mass work-from-home policies for their staff, as businesses navigate through new ways of working as a direct result of the pandemic. Digital transformation has become the enabler, propelling businesses into the future. Technologies like collaboration and online meeting software have become a necessity through the transition to digitally enable remote working. The acceleration saw a broader...
Why Access to Technology is Critical for Farmers in Africa
The African continent is home to an estimated 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, an abundance of fresh water and about 300 days of sunshine each year, according to the World Economic Forum. However, the reality is that the agriculture industry is mostly made up of the older African generation — who often discourage their children from working with the land. So despite seemingly ideal farming conditions, African nations spend close to $65 billion importing food — a number that is expected to grow exponentially within the next decade. The African Development Bank (ABD) believes that this is unsustainable and unaffordable — noting that the secret to the continent’s economic viability and growth is to equip farmers, as well as the next-generation, with training, advice an...
6 Digital Tranformation Trends for 2021
Thanks to 2020, predictions for the new year might not be so unrealistic. But predictions are one thing, trends are another. Here’s a quick look at six technology insights for 2021: 1. Accelerated Adjustment to the Pandemic COVID-19 shocked all businesses last year. However, enterprises are becoming used to the new normal “and digitisation should return to previous levels of growth in 2021,” says Peter Mülders, Customer Success Manager at Synthesis. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_4fe.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_4fe.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } 2. Continued Growth of Cloud There was substantial growth in cloud this past year. AWS Revenue grew 29% year-on-year in quarter three to $11.6bn and Microsoft Azure Revenue increased by 48% year-on-year in quarter three to an estimate...
How Enhanced Connectivity Sets the Foundation for Digital Economies
Over the past few months, we’ve seen the world transform. It’s clear that cities will be affected in the long-term, which is why it’s critical to reflect on how emerging technologies can shape the future. The emergence of 5G networks and boundless broadband deployment has the potential to change the way cities define their digital future. The promise of mobile gigabit connectivity, low latency and unprecedented device density offers new and exciting developments that affect every aspect of public life, from intelligent transportation to public safety and waste management. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic is shining additional light on the need for greater connectivity speeds and broadband access, that not only allows organisations to drive business continuity, but to also bridge the dig...
Sub-Saharan Africa’s to Mobile Traffic to Grow 6.5 Times by 2026
Mobile data traffic in Sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to grow by almost 6.5 times the current figures, with total traffic increasing from 0.87EB per month in 2020 to 5.6EB by 2026. Meanwhile, the average traffic per smartphone is expected to reach 8.9GB over the forecast period – this according to the Ericsson Mobility Report. As the demand for capacity and coverage of cellular networks continues to grow, service providers are expected to continue investing in their networks to cater for this uptake and meet evolving consumer requirements. In Sub-Saharan Africa, mobile subscriptions will continue to grow over the forecast period as mobile penetration today, at 84 percent, is less than the global average. LTE is estimated to account for around 15 percent of subscriptions by the end of...
Why 5G is Crucial to Closing the Digital Divide
It’s safe to say that high points during the COVID-19 pandemic have been few and far between. South Africans were, however, met with at least one welcome development earlier this year with the launch of the country’s first 5G which supports both commercial mobile and fixed wireless 5G services. Although people were confined to their homes for an extended period of time during lockdown, many South Africans living in major metros were able to use 5G technology to stay in touch, work from home and keep themselves entertained. Not surprisingly, the demand for data during this time was greater than ever before. Vodacom recorded a 40% increase in mobile data traffic in South Africa during the last week of June during the peak of the pandemic, compared with pre-COVID-19 lockdown levels. As the ci...
How COVID-19 is Shaping Financial Inclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic had forced companies and individuals to rapidly adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to remedy the unprecedented socioeconomic challenges faced by consumers. A key facet of 4IR is a shift towards digitisation, and the vulnerable communities across the globe find themselves trailing even further behind in their endeavour for financial equity as a result. Migrants and foreign nationals trapped in the cash economy, who utilise analog means of transacting funds, are the hardest hit as lack of access to cash means that they are rendered unable to support their families both locally and abroad to make ends meet. The festive season in particular is a capital intensive time for consumers. To provide for their families, many find themselves using informal meth...
First Digital Helps Clients Deliver Projects Seamlessly during COVID-19
South Africa’s working culture ‘cage’ was well and truly rattled earlier this year when, due to the COVID-19 hard lockdown, companies were faced with little choice but to adapt to remote working… or suffer the consequences. “Suddenly, working from home became the only option to maintain a revenue stream,” explains Niel Steyn, division business owner – innovation at First Technology Digital, South Africa’s preferred partner for digital transformation, software consultancy and management consulting solutions and a First Technology Group company. “One of my favourite figures of speech is ‘Every cloud has a silver lining’, and during the pandemic, finding the silver linings within the chaos and fear was arguably even more critical than during regular day-to-day life.” “Looking at the situation...
Unpacking 3 Healthcare Innovation Trends for 2021
A significant part of 2020 has been riddled with the COVID-19 pandemic, thus negatively affecting the healthcare sector. To combat some of these challenges, there are several healthcare innovations to look out for in the upcoming year. According to WHO Health Innovation Group (WHIG), sister group of the World Health Organization (WHO) whose premise is to endorse and pursue health innovation within the organization, “health innovation is to develop new or improved health policies, systems, products and technologies, and services and delivery methods that improve people’s health, with a special focus on the needs of vulnerable populations.” Following an article published by McKinsey & Company in November 2020, there are two key healthcare innovations to look out for in treating COVID- 19...
