Digital soon to become ‘business as usual’ right across the globe

And it might sound a little like stating the obvious but Yau says there is absolutely no escaping the fact that the whole world is going digital.

Speaking at the recent World Audiences Summit here, Yau told the gathering of media industry professionals that use of digital gadgets such as smartphones, tablets and e-books would become "business as usual" across the globe over the next five years, rather than something that simply complement established practises, as today.

"The digital world will increasingly become part of every aspect of everyday life," Yau said on the sidelines of her "The End of the Digital Beginning" seminar. "Research is showing that digital is driving growth across all sectors of media."

Record sales of smart devices helps increase connectivity

Yau noted that 2011 was a record year for sales of smart devices -- and predicted that sales would continue to grow over the next five years.

E-books, she said as an example, currently held a market share of five percent globally but that would increase to 18 percent by 2016.

A recent report by Strategy Analytics claimed global smartphone sales were set to grow by 40 percent in 2012 with the Asia Pacific accounting for 41 percent of total global smartphone sales for the year.

Yau explained the trend was being backed up by a rapidly rising rate of mobile internet penetration, particularly in emerging markets throughout Asia.

Hong Kong, for example, would have a mobile penetration rate of 90 percent by 2016, according to her company's predictions, as charted in its global Media, Entertainment and technology study.

Digital advertising another area set for rapid growth

The growing rate of penetration in mainland China was quickly being followed by advertisers and digital ads would account for 49 percent of advertising expenditure by 2016.

The 2nd World Audiences Summit, organized by the UK-based market research company Kantar Media was themed "Picture the Future - How media consumption is changing/evolving in different markets, the role of technology and audience measurement in this changing landscape" and Yau was among a series of speakers who attempted to make the picture for media in general a little more clear.

"There is little doubt in anyone's minds that digital is the key driver of global entertainment market growth," said Yau.

MS