IoT to Ride 5G, ‘Finally’ Become a ‘Mainstream Reality,’ Predicts Nielsen

Forecasting that 5G will “revolutionize” IoT for retail was among “high-level predictions” Nielsen released Tuesday for 2020 “and the decade ahead.” IoT “finally becomes a mainstream reality” with 5G, “providing end consumers with access to more data at their fingertips with virtually no response delay,” it said. Nielsen predicts manufacturers “will produce locally to win globally,” it said. “We're entering a new era in consumerism,” it said. “With the duel impetus of tariffs and consumer alignment with locally sourced products and waste reduction, manufacturers will face increased pressure to produce locally, import fewer goods and search for economic differentiation.” Other trends Nielsen advised watching for: (1) “Increasingly frictionless” commerce in both online and through physical stores “will change the game for retail”; (2) “Try-before-you-buy will come into consumer homes,” based on the increasing shift to cloud commerce and “enablement” of smartphones to be truly augmented-reality devices; and (3) “Transparency will be tomorrow's brand currency,” creating opportunities for companies “to grow trust and authenticity.”