KUALA LUMPUR: MSC Malaysia, ubiquitous broadband and personal cloud are the three tech buzzwords to watch out for in 2014, industry observers say.
After clinching international partnerships in 2013, more multimedia super corridor status companies are expected to go global in 2014.
“Those collaborations will take shape in 2014, allowing local companies to establish a firmer footing in the global arena,” Multimedia Development Corporation Bhd (MDeC) chief executive officer Datuk Badlisham Ghazali told Bernama.
He cited iGene Sdn Bhd, which launched the first of its 18 state-of-the-art digital autopsy facility in Sheffield, the UK, in 2013; as well as, the collaboration between Joot Ventures Sdn Bhd and Silicon Valley-based BrandX, to launch the ‘Joota’ social network platform in North America.
MSC Malaysia is the government-designated zone for information, communications and technology (ICT) companies.
With more international collaborations in the pipeline, MSC Malaysia is expected to generate higher revenue in 2014, he said.
In 2012, the 2,397 companies operating under the MSC status generated total revenue of RM33.53 billion, up 5.7 per cent, year-on-year. Average salaries for employees working with MSC companies between 2009 and 2012 rose by over 52 per cent to RM5,317.08, 2.5 times higher than the national average.
“This further cements MSC Malaysia’s ability to create high-value jobs that attract top industry talents, in tandem with Malaysia’s vision of becoming a high-income nation,” Badlisham said.
While broadband technology is not something new, industry players said 2014 would usher in an ubiquitous broadband era.
“Consumers will start to feel a true Internet everywhere as the government’s 2014 Budget showcases its commitment in pushing broadband connectivity to rural areas and high-speed broadband in the city areas,” said National ICT Association of Malaysia (Pikom) chairman Cheah Kok Hoong.
The good news is the cost of broadband is expected to stay the same, with users enjoying added value such as increased data usage and the availability of free WiFi hot spots.
“This is definitely a positive move as the government is actively promoting a digital economy to spur the country’s growth while we strive to become a high-income society in the coming years,” Cheah added.
The ‘Digital Malaysia’ initiative was unveiled in July 2012, with eight projects aimed at moving the country towards a high-income nation with digital economy at the core.
MDeC’s statistics revealed that these projects successfully created 3,335 high-value jobs and contributed RM288 million in gross national income from July 2012 to August 2013.
With the digital economy beginning to take shape, Pikom envisaged more consumers would go on the ‘personal cloud’ in 2014. Cloud refers to the Internet.
“Consumers have the luxury of cloud services from different providers to back up their data on the cloud, allowing them ubiquitous access from multiple devices and platforms,” Cheah added.
Personal cloud is gaining momentum and the technology is ripe for innovation, he said, adding that popular personal cloud services included Gmail, Dropbox and Apple Inc’s iCloud, among others.
Cloud computing enables consumers and companies to buy, lease, sell or distribute a range of software, business systems, data and other digital resources as an on-demand service online, just like electricity from a power grid.
The resources are kept and managed inside data centres.
In summing up the prospects for 2014, Cheah said, “It will be a year full of imaginative and innovative technologies and, devices that will create opportunities to influence businesses and people alike.
“Therefore, it is crucial for Malaysian businesses and the government to be aware and stay ahead of the trends in order to grow as a nation,” he added. — Bernama