Radar, February 2020

In this edition of the Radar, the first of 2020, we examine possible sources of disruption for the year ahead. We consider the renewed satellite market and the potential of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites; question whether the era of tech firms – and so-called tech exceptionalism – is coming to an end; explore the vast implications of digitisation in healthcare; and observe the possible shift to cloud in gaming.

In the first chapter, we look at the disruptive potential of satellites to the communications market, following the Federal Communications Commission’s regulatory approval of SpaceX and OneWeb’s deployment plans and the entrance of Amazon in this field. In particular, we examine how the proliferation of LEO satellites could bring interesting opportunities for satellite providers to redefine market offerings for industrial IoT deployments in rural and remote areas.

We then delve into the world of tech financing and question whether we are seeing a shift back from software to hardware and the end of tech exceptionalism – the concept that technology companies operate in their own unique environment, free from the various operational, regulatory and financial constraints faced by more traditional businesses.

Our third piece examines the ramifications of a growing digitised healthcare market. A clear shift is underway to digitise healthcare access and enable individual empowerment through the widespread use of AI to analyse health information. We look at the data behind this trend to study the importance of digital consent and the compatibility of the differing motives of profit and social good.

Finally, our infographic chapter analyses developments within the gaming industry and its potential shift to cloud as old and new players look to bring the format into the mainstream in order to capture surging market growth.