Telecom
IDC Forecasts 8.1 Million Growth for AR & VR by 2018
International Data Corporation (IDC) report has shown that Worldwide shipments of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets were down 30.5% year over year, totaling 1.2 million units in the first quarter of 2018 (1Q18).
Much of the decline occurred due to the unbundling of screenless VR headsets during the quarter.
For much of 2017, vendors bundled these headsets free with the purchase of a high-end smartphone, but that practice largely came to an end by the start of 2018.
Despite a poor start to 2018, IDC anticipates the overall market will return to growth over the remainder of the year as more vendors target the commercial AR and VR markets and low-cost standalone VR headsets such as the Oculus Go make their way into stores.
IDC forecasts the overall AR and VR headset market to grow to 8.9 million units in 2018, up 6% from the prior year.
That growth will continue throughout the forecast period, reaching 65.9 million units by 2022.
Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst for IDC Mobile Device Trackers, said “On the VR front, devices such as the Oculus Go seem promising not because Facebook has solved all the issues surrounding VR, but rather because they are helping to set customer expectations for VR headsets in the future.
“Looking ahead, consumers can expect easier-to-use devices at lower price points.
“Combine that with a growing lineup of content from game makers, Hollywood studios, and even vocational training institutions, and we see a brighter future for the adoption of virtual reality.”
When it comes to augmented reality headsets, many consumers have already had a taste of the technology through screenless viewers such as the Star Wars: Jedi Challenges product from Lenovo.
IDC anticipates these types of headsets will lead the market in shipment volumes in the near term.
However, non-smartphone-based AR headsets should begin to see greater market availability by 2019 as commercial uptake continues to rise and existing brands launch next-generation products.
IDC predicts triple-digit growth in this space between 2019 and 2021.
Tom Mainelli, program vice president, Devices and Augmented and Virtual Reality at IDC, said “Momentum around augmented reality continues to grow as more companies enter the space and begin the work necessary to create the software and services that will drive AR hardware.
“Industry watchers are eager to see new headsets ship from the likes of Magic Leap, Microsoft, and others.
“But for those devices to fulfill their promise we need developers creating the next-generation of applications that will drive new experiences on both the consumer and commercial sides of the market.”
Category Highlights shows that many consumers’ first experience with an Augmented Reality headset will be in the form of a screenless viewer.
While large movie properties such as Star Wars helped move significant volumes of these headsets the past holiday season, uptake for the remainder of the year is likely to slow as the headsets have limited functionality beyond their core applications.
In the latter years of the forecast, IDC expects such products to decline in relevance, although they are likely to remain in the market, often sold as toys.
Meanwhile, standalone AR head-mounted displays (HMDs) should grow to reach 194,000 units in 2018 and will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 190.9% over the five year forecast.
More advanced headsets such as Microsoft’s Hololens and Magic Leap’s One will help drive adoption in the commercial and consumer markets.
Finally, tethered headsets will grow with a five-year CAGR of 241.8%. This last category will be the eventual home of products with lower-cost headsets based on Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore that tether to smartphones or tablets.
IDC forecasts Virtual Reality headsets to grow from 8.1 million in 2018 to 39.2 million by the end of 2022, representing a five-year CAGR of 48.1%. While many think of VR as a consumer technology, IDC believes the commercial market to be equally important and predicts it will grow from 24% of VR headset shipments in 2018 to 44.6% by 2022.
From a platform perspective, the market has been dominated by Oculus largely due to the initial volumes around Samsung’s Gear VR.
This will likely continue in the near term as the Go brings VR to more consumers.
However, the Oculus platform is likely to face pressure from both HTC’s VIve platform and Microsoft’s Windows Mixed Reality platform.
The latter should see strong opportunities in the commercial market as brands such as HP, Dell, and Lenovo bring their years of experience catering to enterprise buyers to the market.
Elon Musk’s Starlink has become the second-largest Internet Service Provider (ISP) in Nigeria, surpassing FiberOne in customer numbers while Spectranet remains the market leader.
Elon Musk
This was revealed in a recent report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
According to NCC’s Q3 2024 data, Spectranet maintained its top position with 105,441 active subscribers, despite losing over 8,000 users since December 2023.
Meanwhile, Starlink, which launched in Nigeria in January 2023, grew rapidly to 65,564 subscribers, adding 41,667 users in just nine months.
This pushed FiberOne to third place with 33,010 customers.
The report also showed that out of 241 licensed ISPs in Nigeria, only 124 had active users in Q3 2024, collectively serving 307,946 subscribers.
However, these numbers remain far below the dominance of mobile network operators such as MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, which together accounted for over 130 million internet users as of September 2024.
Starlink’s expansion has been driven by its satellite-based internet service, which provides coverage in remote areas where traditional ISPs struggle.
By the end of 2023, the company had already secured the third position with 23,897 users, marking a 113% growth from the previous quarter.
Its growth has also been supported by partnerships with Nigerian companies like TD Africa and Konga.
In 2023, Starlink briefly stopped accepting new orders in major cities, including Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, due to capacity issues.
The Federal Government says it has committed $2 billion to enhance Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, aiming to boost the nation’s economy and safeguard the digital identities and rights of its citizens.
Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy
Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy disclosed in Abuja on Tuesday while briefing newsmen on the forthcoming International Telecommunication Union, (ITU) Summit holding in Abuja from Wednesday to Thursday this week.
The ITU International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit will feature over 250 participants from 194 ITU member countries, with key representatives from the private sector and academia expected to attend.
Tijani who addressed journalists alongside Tomas Lamanauskas, the Deputy Secretary General of ITU,said the present administration was not making two billion dollars investments in digital infrastructures for the fun of it.
He said the present administration is committed to digital connectivity for the people to make lives more meaningful and impactful, adding that the investments would ensure that Nigerians enjoy the best quality of digital services and protection in the nearest future.
The ITU International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit aims to foster global collaboration, secure innovative solutions, and engage leaders from government, industry and international organisations to strengthen the global digital infrastructures.
“This investment is part of a larger vision to provide every Nigerian with access to high-quality digital services, while safeguarding their digital identities,” Tijani said.
The ITU International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit, co-hosted by Nigeria and Portugal, will explore innovative strategies to strengthen the security and resilience of submarine cables—vital infrastructure for global digital connectivity.
The summit is bringing together government leaders, industry experts, and international organizations to discuss ways to safeguard submarine cable networks, which are increasingly vulnerable to disruptions.
Tijani emphasized that the discussions at the summit will focus on finalizing a global declaration on submarine cable resilience, calling for heightened action from both governments and private sectors to protect digital infrastructure worldwide.
In his words, “Nigeria is not just solving local issues; we are taking a global leadership role in securing submarine cables, which are essential for digital connectivity”.
The summit will address the growing concern of disruptions in submarine cable networks, with an average of 150 to 200 cables being damaged or cut annually, severely impacting global digital connectivity.
To tackle these challenges, the summit will include key international organizations such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), promoting coordination across industries such as telecom, shipping, and fishing, which impact submarine cable integrity.
Tijani also highlighted Nigeria’s leadership in the digital space, stating that while the country already boasts a robust submarine cable network, with around eight or nine cables landing in Nigeria, the key challenge now is expanding these networks inland and ensuring reliable, high-speed internet access for all Nigerians.
“We are committed to connecting every Nigerian, ensuring that digital infrastructure benefits all citizens,” he added. Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General of ITU, praised Nigeria’s forward-thinking investments in digital infrastructure.
He highlighted that Africa is experiencing rapid growth in digital traffic, and Nigeria’s investments will play a pivotal role in ensuring the continent remains competitive on the global digital stage.
According to him, “This region is the fastest-growing for international digital connectivity, and Nigeria’s leadership is critical to ensuring Africa’s success in the global digital economy.
The summit is expected to provide a platform for robust discussions on enhancing submarine cable security, a critical pillar for the global digital economy, with over 50 countries participating in this essential dialogue.
Telecom
Network International Partners with MTN Group to Enhance Digital Payment Solutions Across Africa
Network International, a leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), has been appointed as a Payment Processor – Issuing partner for MTN Group Fintech, Africa’s leading mobile financial services provider.
This partnership marks a significant extension of Network’s portfolio of issuer processing collaborations throughout the African continent.
With a footprint spanning over 50 countries and serving over 250 financial institutions, Network International brings its expertise to this partnership which will enhance MTN Fintech’s cutting-edge mobile services and provide even greater value to stakeholders and customers across Africa.
The partnership will focus on rolling out card issuance products across key MTN Fintech markets, starting with Rwanda which is already operational. Soon Uganda, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria will also be covered under this collaboration.
Network International will provide a comprehensive range of services, including transaction processing, card management and online fraud prevention. MTN Fintech users will benefit from a seamless experience accessing both traditional mobile services and innovative digital payment solutions.
Dr. Reda Helal, Group Managing Director – Processing, Africa and Co-Head Group Processing at Network International commented: “Our collaboration with MTN Group Fintech marks a major milestone for our outsourced payments services in Africa.
“It demonstrates our ability to successfully serve Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) via our fully-fledged processing solutions and our continued dedication and commitment to the African region.
“We are excited to support MTN Group Fintech’s growth strategy, and its business development plans across the continent.”
Cedric N’guessan, Executive for Payment and E-commerce at MTN Group Fintech added, “This collaboration with Network International is pivotal in enhancing financial inclusion across Africa and beyond.
“It enables our customers to actively engage in the global economy, aligning perfectly with our strategic goals alongside Mastercard to broaden access to digital financial services across the continent.”
MTN Group provides voice, data, fintech, enterprise wholesale and API services to more than 288 million customers in 14 African markets.
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