As the first quarter of 2024 ends, the year is off to a great start. Companies are settling into hybrid workplace models, higher education institutions are continuing to deploy networked AV throughout the campus, and for the most part, supply chain issues are in the rearview mirror.
To understand upcoming trends, I look to the responses to my question regarding company roadmaps and philosophies. Artificial intelligence, sustainability, strategic alliances, cloud, immersive environments, ease of use, and improving the user experience are common threads from the responses of 40 AV/IT thought leaders.
Manufacturers introduced new products and solutions at Integrated Systems Europe in February and are finetuning offerings that will be announced at InfoComm in June.
During the past couple of years, the most significant trend that emerged was out of necessity; end users embraced the need for high-quality audio, and the deployment of these solutions continues.
Set aside any thoughts of nefarious intent you might have about AI and look no further than the AV/IT industry to see the immense benefits already being implemented in audio and video collaboration products.
AI has entered our audiovisual products over the last few years, leading to better detection of meaningful audio versus non-meaningful audio, detection of speakers in audio and video, and delivery of a good meeting experience to remote participants. “The use of AI will increase in our products, delivering even more meaningful experiences to the remote participant at the far end,” said Holger Stoltze, director of Product Management at Yamaha UC. “It is important to note that these improvements can be introduced through firmware upgrades of existing products—not a ‘fork-lift’ upgrade of existing infrastructure.”
When it comes to keeping the ship running smoothly, sustainability might not be what keeps you up at night, but fortunately, manufacturers are taking our future seriously. “Minimizing the environmental impact of our products will be an integral feature of our roadmap, including less energy wastage, even more recycling, and further steps to minimize our logistics’ environmental impact,” said Bjorn Krylander, chief executive officer and managing director at Datapath.
Mark Bonifacio, director of Business Management of Professional Display Solutions at Sony Electronics, added, “Building on our Road to Zero global environmental plan, we’ve implemented sustainable practices, large and small, across our entire product lifecycle.”
Creating alliances is one of the ways companies are helping to ensure the overall experience is seamless. “At Sennheiser, we want to be the easiest technology partner for our customers to work with, regardless of their setup,” said Charlie Jones, global alliance and partnership manager, Business Communication at Sennheiser.
History tells us that if something is not easy to use, it won’t be used, and the technology investment will have a negative ROI. Ultimately, a positive user experience will be the measure of success.
Susy Liem, associate vice president of conferencing product management at Shure, said, “Having the right AV equipment and solutions in place helps improve the employee experience, productivity, and decision-making—all key to a business’s success.”
“Nureva’s 2024 roadmap is focused on delivering large-room audio solutions that support the much-needed quality of experience—with maximum adaptability and flexibility but without complexity,” said Nancy Knowlton, Nureva's chief executive officer.
Amber Ward, director of marketing at Carousel Digital Signage, added, “As we move forward into 2024, we’re looking at one guiding principle: helping our customers break through the noise so they can get the most out of their signage system.”
“Working with our entire ecosystem of customers and partners, we’re going head-on into the new year to help elevate experiences and spaces so that they reach their fullest potential,” said Ryan Carson, vice president and general manager of Professional Imaging and Visual Systems at Panasonic Connect North America.
Read the full interviews of these thought leaders and more by clicking on the company names in the box to the right.
