Forrester Research expects $115.6 bln will be spent for travel online in the US alone in 2009, and that number is expected to jump to $157.8 bln by 2013.
Infrastructure sharing to save companies $60 bln by 2014
ABI Research finds that the worldwide combined OPEX and CAPEX savings from active infrastructure sharing could amount to as much as $60 bln over the next five year period. The study finds that operators could enjoy at least 40% cost savings in addition to those available from passive site sharing.
Enterprise software to grow 0.3% in 2009
Worldwide enterprise software revenue is forecast to total $222.6 bln in 2009, reflecting a flat 0.3% growth rate from 2008 revenue of $221.9 bln, according to Gartner.
$400 mln spent on delivering video via CDNs in 2008
In 2008 an estimated $400 mln was spent on delivering video via CDNs, according to Frost & Sullivan. That number is expected to grow to more than $1.4 bln by 2012.
Worldwide IT Spending by Vertical Markets in 2009
| Industry and spending, mln. $ | IT Spending 2009 | IT Spending 2008 | Growth, YTY |
| Utilities | 131,812 | 128,146 | 2.9 |
| Healthcare | 88,012 | 86,080 | 2.2 |
| Government | 428,289 | 419,533 | 2.1 |
| Communications | 371,515 | 368,341 | 0.9 |
| Education | 59,961 | 59,341 | 1.0 |
| Agriculture, Mining and Construction | 29,658 | 29,386 | 0.9 |
| Services | 192,622 | 190,304 | 1.2 |
| Retail Trade | 153,755 | 153,331 | 0.3 |
| Transportation | 105,806 | 105,985 | -0.2 |
| Financial Services | 554,388 | 558,496 | -0.7 |
| Wholesale Trade | 81,446 | 81,158 | 0.4 |
| Manufacturing | 479,586 | 482,723 | -0.6 |
| Total | 2,676,850 | 2,662,825 | 0.5 |
| Source: Gartner | |||
International phone calls up 12% in 2008
Cross-border telephone traffic grew 14% in 2007 and is estimated to have grown 12% in 2008, to 384 billion minutes. Due to declining call prices, however, revenues have largely been flat. While international telephone traffic is increasing at a modest pace, Skype’s international traffic has soared: TeleGeography estimates that Skype’s cross-border traffic grew approximately 41% in 2008, to 33 billion minutes, equivalent to 8% of combined international telephone traffic, TeleGeography says.
Top Technology Priorities in 2009
| Top 10 Business Priorities | Ranking | Top 10 Technology Priorities | Ranking | ||
| Business process improvement | 1 | Business intelligence | 1 | ||
| Reducing enterprise costs | 2 | Enterprise applications (ERP, CRM and others) | 2 | ||
| Improving enterprise workforce effectiveness | 3 | Servers and storage technologies (virtualization) | 3 | ||
| Attracting and retaining new customers | 4 | Legacy application modernization | 4 | ||
| Increasing the use of information/analytics | 5 | Collaboration technologies | 5 | ||
| Creating new products or services (innovation) | 6 | Networking, voice and data communications | 6 | ||
| Targeting customers and markets more effectively | 7 | Technical infrastructure | 7 | ||
| Managing change initiatives | 8 | Security technologies | 8 | ||
| Expanding current customer relationships | 9 | Service-oriented applications and architecture | 9 | ||
| Expanding into new markets and geographies | 10 | Document management | 10 | ||
| Source: Gartner | |||||
IT spending to drop 9% in 2009
Goldman Sachs estimated IT spending will drop 9% in 2009, based on figures for gross domestic product, capital spending and corporate profits.
LCD TV panel sales to grow 20.5% in 2009
The Information Network forecasts array processing equipment to decrease 41% in 2009 following an increase of 30% in 2008. Large-size TFT-LCD panel growth in 2009 will be buoyed by LCD TV and notebook sales. For 2009, 113.3 mln panels will be sold for LCD TVs, up 20.5% from 94.0 mln in 2008. Panels for notebooks will grow slightly faster, up 26.6% to 177.0 mln panels. Panels for monitors will decrease 17.0% in 2009 to 144.9 mln units.
IT spending in China to reach $51.2 bln in 2009
IT spending in China will reach $51.2 bln in 2009, a YTY growth of 11%, according to SpringBoard.
Airlines to lose $3.5 bln due to high-def conferenceware
Gartner predicts that high-definition based video meeting solutions will replace 2.1 mln airline seats annually, costing the travel and hospitality industry $3.5 bln per year. From 2009 to 2013 the server virtualisation software market will grow with a CAGR of 28%, rising from $1.8 bln to $6.2 bln.
24% of online shoppers have spent more than $500 in 2008 holiday season
| Amount | % of Respondents |
| Less than $100 | 18 |
| $100-199 | 22 |
| $200-299 | 17 |
| $30-399 | 13 |
| $400-499 | 5 |
| More than $500 | 24 |
| Source: Nielsen | |
2009 IT spending to fall 3%
IT spending on in 2009 will contract 3% compared with 2008 to $1.66 trln, according to Forrester Research.
US consumer electronics shipments to generate $171 bln in 2009
The consumer electronics industry is projected to generate $171 bln in US shipment revenues in 2009, according to Consumer Electronics Association. CEA’s estimate of final shipment revenues for 2008 showed the industry reached a new high of $172 bln, an increase of 5.4% over 2007. In 2009, overall, CEA projects that domestic shipment revenues will essentially remain flat at $171 bln, a decrease of 0.6% over 2008. The primary revenue driver for the industry continues to be digital TV displays, representing 15% of total industry shipment dollars. As the transition to digital television nears, unit shipments of DTVs will approach 35 mln in 2009, an increase of nearly 6% over 2008 shipments. LCD displays remain the top choice among consumers, representing 77% of total DTV units. Blu-ray players are expected to see major growth in 2009. With more content, new products and lower prices, Blu-Ray revenues are projected to surpass $1.2 bln.
Spending by largest ad categories in Q1-Q3 2008
| Product Category | Q1-Q3 2007 | Q1-Q3 2008 | Growth | |
| Automotive (Factory & Dealer Assoc.) |
8,505.2 | 7,857.5 | -8% | |
| Pharmaceutical | 3,855.3 | 3,682.1 | -4% | |
| Auto Dealerships – Local | 3,422.9 | 3,327.1 | -3% | |
| Quick Service Restaurant | 2,929.6 | 3,258.1 | 11% | |
| Motion Picture | 2,665.8 | 2,683.2 | 1% | |
| Wireless Telephone Services | 2,663.7 | 2,675.8 | 0% | |
| Department Store | 2,432.4 | 2,615.7 | 8% | |
| Direct Response Product | 1,657.6 | 2,110.4 | 27% | |
| Restaurant | 1,225.1 | 1,334.6 | 9% | |
| Furniture Stores | 1,189.2 | 1,186.7 | 0% | |
| Top 10 Product Categories | 30,546.9 | 30,731.3 | 1% | |
| Source: Nielsen | ||||
LCD TV revenues to fall 16% in 2009
DisplaySearch forecast LCD television revenues would fall 16% YTY to $64 bln in 2009, with total TV revenues expected to decline 18% to $88 bln. For 2009, DisplaySearch predicts the LCD TV market will grow 17% to 119.9 mln units, 11.5 mln units less than previously forecast.
Internet ad spending by top companies for Q1-Q3 2008
| Parent Company | Q1-Q3 2007 | Q1-Q3 2008 | Growth | |
| Procter & Gamble Co. | 2,526.0 | 2,342.3 | -7% | |
| General Motors Corp. | 1,730.4 | 1,659.6 | -4% | |
| AT&T Inc. | 1,351.1 | 1,317.6 | -2% | |
| Verizon Communications Inc. | 1,018.8 | 1,125.6 | 10% | |
| Toyota Motor Corp. | 1,246.8 | 1,194.1 | -4% | |
| Ford Motor Co. | 1,452.0 | 1,112.9 | -23% | |
| Johnson & Johnson | 1,005.2 | 1,059.1 | 5% | |
| Time Warner Inc. | 983.9 | 878.2 | -11% | |
| General Electric Co. | 680.3 | 807.9 | 19% | |
| PepsiCo Inc. | 749.5 | 730.5 | -3% | |
| Total Top 10 | 12,743.8 | 12,227.8 | -4% | |
| Source: Nielsen | ||||
Worldwide IT spending will grow 2.6% in 2009
Worldwide IT spending will grow 2.6% YTY in 2009, down from IDC’s pre-crisis forecast of 5.9% growth. In the United States, IT spending growth is expected to be 0.9% in 2009, according to IDC. IDC expects IT spending to make a full recovery by the end of the forecast period with growth rates approaching 6.0% in 2012. IDC estimates that more than $300 bln in industry revenues will have been lost due to slower spending over the next four years. IDC lowered the forecast for worldwide GDP growth in 2009 to 0.3%, which is 1.5% lower than the current forecast and worse than any year since World War II. This produced a forecast of 0.1% growth in worldwide IT spending in 2009 with negative growth in the United States, Western Europe, and Japan.
Where consumers spend their money online – video games grew 60% in one year
| Product Category | Growth, YTY |
| Total Retail Category (Excludes Travel) | 6% |
| Video Games, Consoles & Accessories | 60% |
| Furniture, Appliances & Equipment | 52% |
| Sport & Fitness | 40% |
| Event Tickets | 18% |
| Flowers, Greetings & Misc. Gifts | 14% |
| Home & Garden | 6% |
| Consumer Electronics (excluding PC Peripherals) | 1% |
| Computers, Peripherals & PDAs | 0% |
| Apparel & Accessories | -2% |
| Toys & Hobbies | -3% |
| Jewelry & Watches | -11% |
| Music, Movies & Videos | -29% |
| Source: comScore | |
65% of Americans would prefer cash to gifts for 2008 holidays
65% of Americans would prefer to receive $100 in cash, instead of a specific present or a gift card of the same value. This result is up nine points from Western Union’s first survey, fielded in mid-September 2008. 53% of those who would prefer cash would use that money on basic living expenses such as gas, groceries and bills. Only 14% would spend it on a treat for themselves. 79% of Americans believe cash is a good gift because people can use it to get what they really want. There has been a dramatic drop in the number of respondents who plan to give gift cards for services such as a manicure or a pre-paid phone card. Two months ago that figure was 40%, but now the number is 30%.
62% of those with household incomes of less than $50,000 are likely to give cash. 53% of those with more than $50,000 in household income are likely to give cash. 65% of Americans said they often end up spending more on gifts than they had planned to spend.
IT spending in Bulgaria reached $944 mln in 2007
IT spending in Bulgaria exceeded $944 mln in 2007, with YTY growth of 32.3%. Measured in local currency, the market expanded 20.5% YTY, according to IDC. The largest vertical market in terms of IT spending in Bulgaria in 2007 was the communications sector, which invested almost $210 mln in IT, representing 22.2% of total IT expenditure in the country. The manufacturing sector placed second with 14.5% market share, followed by the financial sector with 13.2%. IDC expects demand for hardware, software, and IT services in Bulgaria to continue growing at an average annual rate of around 25% over the next five years to reach almost $2.4 bln in 2012.
Airline ticket sales by airline Web site
| Supplier Sites | Q2 2007 | Q2 2008 | Point Change |
| American Airlines | 12.8% | 10.7% | -2.1 |
| AirTran | 4.9% | 4.9% | 0.0 |
| Continental Airlines | 11.5% | 12.3% | 0.8 |
| Delta Airlines | 14.2% | 13.3% | -0.9 |
| JetBlue | 5.9% | 7.1% | 1.2 |
| Northwest Airlines | 6.8% | 4.3% | -2.5 |
| Southwest Airlines | 28.1% | 32.8% | 4.8 |
| United Airlines | 7.5% | 5.3% | -2.2 |
| US Airways | 8.3% | 9.1% | 0.9 |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0 |
| Source: comScore | |||
IT spending to grow 2.6% in 2009
Worldwide spending on IT will slow significantly in 2009 as a direct result of the global financial crisis that began in September 2008. IT spending will grow 2.6% YTY in 2009. In the United States, IT spending is expected to decline to 0.9% in 2009, much lower than the 4.2% growth forecast in August. On a regional basis, spending growth in Japan, Western Europe, and the United States will hover around 1% in 2009. Looking beyond 2009, IDC expects IT spending to make a full recovery by the end of the forecast period with growth rates approaching 6.0% in 2012. Despite these gains, IDC estimates that more than $300 bln in industry revenues will have been lost due to slower spending over the next four years.
Attitudes towards paying for extra airline amenities
Question: If airlines had additional fees for each of the following services, how likely would you be to pay the additional fee for each service?
| Services | Extremely Likely or Somewhat Likely |
Not At All Likely or Somewhat Unlikely |
| Oversized Bags | 24.2 | 53.3 |
| Internet Access | 20.2 | 65.1 |
| Second Checked Bag | 18.4 | 60.6 |
| More Leg Room | 16.9 | 65.6 |
| Changing Flights | 16.7 | 63.8 |
| Curb Side Check- In | 14.7 | 71.8 |
| First Checked Bag | 13.9 | 73.1 |
| Non-alcoholic Drinks | 11.9 | 75.4 |
| Window Seat | 8.9 | 79.3 |
| Aisle Seat | 8.4 | 77.3 |
| Booking by Phone | 8.3 | 79.9 |
| Pillow or Blanket | 8.3 | 81.5 |
| Source: comScore | ||
Consumer sentiment towards a la carte price plans by airlines
Question: Are you in favor of “a la carte” pricing? Date: August 2008
| Response | Total Respondents | American | Continental | Delta | Southwest | United |
| Yes | 48.5 | 56.5 | 48.6 | 48.6 | 50.1 | 53.8 |
| No | 37.3 | 31.6 | 37.8 | 40.1 | 35.3 | 29.7 |
| Not sure | 14.2 | 11.9 | 13.5 | 11.3 | 14.6 | 16.4 |
| Source: comScore | ||||||