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1、 A MINEFIELD OF TECH DICHOTOMIESMOBILE WORLD CONGRESS 2024 KEY TAKEAWAYS MWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesMWC 2024 WAS VERY MUCH A TALE OF ONE COMMUNITY DIVIDED BY A COMMON TECHNOLOGY The ABI Research teams experience at MWC was one that could be best characterized as a dichotomy.This dichotom

2、y was present along a number of different veins.The first,and most general,was that of the general outlook of the event.On one hand,there was very little groundbreaking innovation present.There was little in the way of wow factor moments.This is especially the case for the cellular community present

3、 at the show and telcos in particular.Staid,inertia-bound,legacy-centric,and“non-needle moving”best characterized most of their announcements and positioning.Instead of focusing on bringing technological innovations to the marketplace,players throughout the entire technology supply chain have shifte

4、d their attention to providing solutions that help operators monetize their existing infrastructure,notably 5G.Telcos are faced with the prospect that without successful monetization of 5G,justifying future investments in 6G Capital Expenditure(CAPEX)could prove challenging,potentially leading to fu

5、rther economic stagnation within the telecommunications industry.On the other hand,the event was abuzz with deal making and getting down to the brass tacks of putting pens to paper.When you look at the location of where those deals are emanating,it is clear to see that the balance of power in the ce

6、llular marketplace is moving or has already moved.It has shifted East and West,it has shifted away from the traditional incumbents,and it is being enticed into the hands of disruptors in every facet.Is this where the resurrection of the“fair share”discussion stems?A second point of dichotomy is the

7、growing distance being put between the velocity and aspirations of the supplier community and that of the telco community.It must be recognized that there is a disconnect between the pace of innovation,investment,and progressiveness in the tech supplier community compared to the majority of the carr

8、ier community that is increasingly handcuffed to legacy business,out of step with enterprise client needs,and papering over cracks.One only must look at the NGMN 6G positioning statement to see that vision and aspiration has retrenched.A second evidentiary point would be the speed at which carriers

9、are truly virtualizing,automating,and creating cloud-native networks,while pointing at them as revenue-generating saviors.A final point of evidence would be the much-rumored delay in 6G standardization in The 3rd Generation Partnership Project(3GPP).It could be argued that 6G will be a day late and

10、a dollar short.One final point to raise is that cellular is not the only game in town.Most of the traffic,value,and revenue from communications comes from indoors and on campus.This is the battlefield to watch moving forward,especially in the context of the enterprise of the future.Wi-Fi 7 is here,i

11、t is evolving fast,it has very strong capabilities,and in combination with the emergence of Ultra-Wideband(UWB)can obviate many of the potential revenue opportunities for cellular in the indoor domain especially.In summary,the business outlook is improving,there are emerging rifts in the value chain

12、 that provide opportunity,and disruption is both possible and happening.The time is now to strike while the iron is hot.As the balance of this paper demonstrates,our team at ABI Research all stand ready to assist our clients as truly independent,informed,and influential advisors.Stuart Carlaw,Chief

13、Research Officer5G&6G Cloud-Native Systems.35G,6G,and Open RAN.45G Devices,Smartphones,and Wearables.65G Markets.9AI and Machine Learning.10Augmented and Virtual Reality.11Distributed and Edge Computing.12Internet of Things(IoT).12Internet of Things(IoT)Markets .14Internet of Things(IoT)Networks and

14、 Services.15Telco Cybersecurity.16Wi-Fi,Bluetooth,and Wireless Connectivity .17Wi-Fi and WLAN Technologies and Markets.18Meet Our AMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech Dichotomies5G&6G CLOUD-NATIVE SYSTEMSEARLY END-TO-END AI IMPLEMENTATIONS OVER MOBILE NETWORKS INTRODUCED.Major mobile infrastructure supplier

15、s,including Nokia,Ericsson,Huawei,ZTE,Samsung,and others,have unveiled their strategies to incorporate Artificial Intelligence(AI)into their equipment in anticipation of the 6G era.In this upcoming era,AI is poised to become an integral component of network functionality.The use cases targeted by AI

16、 in the telecoms space are diverse and include resource allocation,resource planning and optimization,resource utilization,spectrum management,traffic management,load balancing,performance improvement,power efficiency,anomaly detection,traffic pattern detection,security threat prevention,policy mana

17、gement,beamforming management,network slicing,network self-configuration,network self-healing,customer experience and quality of service management,and customer support,among many other use cases.Each use case will require a dedicated and fine-tuned model for its operation,which means mobile operato

18、rs will have to manage a substantial network made up of dozens or even hundreds of AI models ranging from simple regression or recommendation models to more sophisticated large generative AI models.So,it remains to be seen whether the potential cost and energy savings enabled by AI could adequately

19、offset the expenses associated with additional computing resources,which often consist of costly and power-hungry equipment.In addition,managing and orchestrating multimodal AI networks is an extremely complex task that even current Service Management and Orchestration(SMO)tools cannot handle adequa

20、tely.Infrastructure suppliers will have to think of an efficient and standardized way to harmonize and effectively manage their AI networks and avoid using AI models addressing use cases in silos.Interoperability between multiple vendors equipment is another area mobile operators need to consider be

21、fore choosing any infrastructure powered by AI to avoid vendor lock-ins.Malik Saadi,Vice President,Strategic TechnologiesCLOUD-NATIVE TELCO NETWORKS REACH MATURITY,WHILE HYPERSCALERS DIVERSIFY.Cloud-native networks have become a cellular industry norm,with nearly all infrastructure vendors now fully

22、 supporting the new technology,while mobile operators are positioning it as a key requirement for ongoing deployments.Canonical,Red Hat,Wind River,and other cloud-native platform vendors are advancing their value propositions,offering mature containerization layers.Hyperscalers,on the other hand,are

23、 now diversifying their value proposition as public cloud deployments have not reached a critical mass,especially in brownfield networks.Last years MWC was home to many announcements about migrating network functions to the public cloud,but this year,mobile operators were more cautious and measured

24、about public cloud migration.Hyperscalers are now diversifying according to the regions in which they are most active,with a prominent example being Google Cloud and its AI and data focus.ABI Research expects that this diversification will continue,but mobile operators will likely adopt a hybrid clo

25、ud approach,using the public cloud only where necessary.Dimitris Mavrakis,Senior Research Director MWC 2024A Minefield of Tech Dichotomies5G,6G,AND OPEN RANOPEN RAN SILICON MATURES.Last years MWC was home to many announcements regarding Open Radio Access Network(RAN)silicon,when many vendors announc

26、ed new plans and even a change of strategy.For example,Nokia announced its baseband processing(Centralized Unit(CU)/Distributed Unit(DU)would be agnostic to the underlying hardware platform if the deployment included its ReefShark chipset in a Network Interface Card(NIC).Ericsson also announced supp

27、ort for multiple hardware platforms for its CUs/DUs.Meanwhile,in 2023,AMD,Qualcomm,and Marvell announced new products for Open RAN and Virtualized RAN(vRAN),highlighting that the semiconductor supply chain was starting to offer more choice for network vendors.This years show was more subdued in term

28、s of grand announcements,including 5G chipsets.ABI Research now understands that merchant silicon for Open RAN is maturing and a viable option for radios and DUs.This may mean that the costly and time-consuming exercise of designing custom silicon for 5G may soon become a thing of the past for most

29、vendors.Ericsson,Huawei,and Nokia will likely diversify their current custom silicon strategies to include both custom and merchant silicon,and they will likely keep both for the short-term future.On the other hand,the rest of the market,including companies like Fujitsu,Mavenir,NEC,and Samsung are t

30、aking advantage of these new chipsets and even providing a faster time to market.Dimitris Mavrakis,Senior Research Director CLOUD-NATIVE PRODUCTS MATURE,WHILE HYPERSCALERS DIVERSIFY.Cloud-native networks have become the common deployment model for new core networks,and MWC 2024 was home to many of t

31、hese discussions.Mobile operators with established networks are much slower to deploy these cloud-native technologies,as they need to carefully plan their migrations.Nevertheless,all infrastructure vendors are now fully supporting the new technology,while mobile operators are positioning it as a key

32、 requirement for ongoing deployments.Canonical,Red Hat,Wind River and other cloud-native platform vendors are advancing their value propositions,offering mature containerization layers and all network elements are now cloud-native.Hyperscalers,on the other hand,are now diversifying their value propo

33、sition as public cloud deployments have not reached a critical massespecially in brownfield networks.Last years MWC was home to many announcements about migrating network functions to the public cloud,but this year,mobile operators were more cautious and measured regarding public cloud migration.Hyp

34、erscalers are now diversifying according to the regions they are most active in,with a prominent example being Google Cloud and its AI and data focus.ABI Research expects that this diversification will continue,but mobile operators will likely adopt a hybrid cloud approach,using the public cloud onl

35、y where necessary.Dimitris Mavrakis,Senior Research Director FIXED WIRELESS ACCESS STEAMS AHEAD AND REDCAP MAY JOIN THE PARTY.The topic of the application of Reduced Capability(RedCap)technology for 5G FWA Customer Premises Equipment(CPE)was an undercurrent of the FWA innovations and discussions at

36、MWC 2024.The discussions were not just with the CPE vendors like Tozed Kangwei and Huawei,but also with chipset suppliers such as Qualcomm.With 5G now well deployed in most developed markets and beginning to deploy at a more rapid pace in emerging markets,FWA has had prolonged success in providing r

37、evenue opportunities for telcos,and this is seen by some as a next step.Ericsson showcased a video call over a RedCap CPE connection at its stand in Barcelona,proving the reliability of the video call.One of the main barriers for 5G connectivity using FWA is the Average Selling Price(ASP)for this CP

38、E.RedCap can address this issue,with some estimating that the ASP of RedCap CPE could be anywhere from US$20 to US$80 cheaper than existing models.This makes FWA a more affordable and attractive proposition for network operators and end users.It remains to be seen where this CPE could end up and in

39、what volume,but it is clear to see that such CPE would target under connected regions such as Southeast Asia,Africa,and the Middle East.Larbi Belkhit,Research AMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesINDUSTRY FOCUSES ON TANGIBLE MONETIZATION,WHILE 6G INNOVATION IS UNCLEAR.Mobile operators are now dis

40、cussing that 5G-Advanced and even 6G should not introduce a hardware refresh,meaning that the next generation will likely use existing infrastructure already deployed.This stems from the fact that 5G has not achieved Return on Investment(ROI)yet,while enterprise 5G still remains a promise,rather tha

41、n market reality.If what mobile operators discuss today does materialize,it may mean that infrastructure vendors will have a tough time surviving in the future,let alone thriving and becoming more profitable.The discussions around 5G monetization at MWC 2024 were much more realistic and tangible com

42、pared to previous years.For example,there is no more discussion on theoretical and potential monetization use cases,including applications like“5G positioning using Sidelink in agriculture.”Mobile operators have well understood that the“build it and they will come”mentality no longer works for enter

43、prises,and they cannot afford to waste their time,effort,and capital to try and convince them.However,it was not all negative regarding new revenue opportunities at MWC 2024.Fixed Wireless Access(FWA)and network slicing are becoming much more interesting and popular,providing incremental revenue opp

44、ortunities for telcos.Select enterprise use cases were also discussed,including private cellular.6G was not a hot topic of discussion,but some vendors included demos and trials of candidate technologies,including Integrated Communication and Sensing(ISAC).Existing Massive Multiple Input,Multiple Out

45、put(mMIMO)Active Antenna Units(AAUs)can be converted to sense their environment and effectively become a form of radar.This surely is an ambitious topic,for which standardization in 3GPP has not even commenced,but it could be an area that brings innovation and business models in 6G and future mobile

46、 networks.Even so,discussions on 6G innovation were very few,with Communication Service Providers(CSPs)not willing to even consider a hardware refresh for the new generation.Dimitris Mavrakis,Senior Research Director SATELLITE BRINGING INNOVATION TO THE 5G MARKET.Satellite access is now a burgeoning

47、 market,with Low Earth Orbit(LEO)constellations providing affordable and dependable broadband access.Some constellations are even able to connect to smartphones,with initial use cases being emergency access.In the cellular domain,Non-Terrestrial Networks(NTNs)are promising to bridge cellular and sat

48、ellite networks and bring true global connectivity across the world.This will likely start to take place in subsequent generations,most likely 6G,but it is not yet certain if the satellite market will agree to be a piece of the 6G ecosystem.It may also be the opposite,with cellular being part of sat

49、ellite connectivity in the future.In any case,MWC 2024 was home to many discussions on Satellite Communications(SatCom),some of which included the adaptation of existing cellular technologies to the satellite domain.For example,Netcracker is adapting its Operations Support System(OSS)/Business Suppo

50、rt System(BSS)suite for LEO constellations,for maritime users.The complexity of this is twofold compared to terrestrial networks:base stations will be constantly moving in space,while maritime users require strict Service-Level Agreements(SLAs).Such innovation has not been necessary in the static te

51、rrestrial domain and satellites are now pushing the boundaries of what companies can achieve.These innovations will also likely trickle down to cellular networks eventually.There are also many examples of 5G base stations being launched in LEO constellations,testing new connectivity use cases.Dimitr

52、is Mavrakis,Senior Research Director 5G,6G,AND OPEN RANMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesNEW SMARTPHONES,LAPTOPS,AND CHIPSETS DRAW HEAVILY ON AI INTEGRATION(AND BARBIE).As was the case at MWC 2024,a raft of new smartphones and other mobile devices was on display,but very few actually premiered

53、at the show,with the most prominent phones having been either already launched or announced for extension to global markets.As 5G is now de-facto for any major new launches,and the drive to 5G-Advanced has yet to shake the sector,the device competitive focus was geared toward integrating AI,as well

54、as the usual suspects of better cameras,superior processing power,and enhanced user experiences.Previously announced flagship devices from Samsung enveloped its exhibition space,notably the Galaxy S24 series,which are packed with an array of powerful AI features.Using Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 ch

55、ipset and the companys Galaxy AI,these latest smartphones are set to“introduce meaningful intelligence aimed at enhancing every part of life.”At the show,Samsung also touted that 2024 will be the year of the AI Personal Computer(PC)and,with that,released the Galaxy Book4 series,which uses Intels new

56、 Core Ultra Processor.The processor enables new AI functions that help increase productivity and offer new user experiences.With no less than four designated stands at the show,HONOR used the event to showcase its new AI strategy,alongside the global launch of its Magic V2 RSR foldable and Magic6 RS

57、R Magic6 Pro smartphones,plus the AI-powered MagicBook Pro 16 laptop in collaboration with Microsoft using Intels Core Ultra Processor.Moreover,Honor had the distinction of winning the Global Mobile(GLOMO)best-in-show award with the Porsche Design Magic V2.The company used the show to announce its n

58、ew AI strategy,which it claims will empower cross-Operating System(OS)experiences and deliver“human-centric innovation,”harnessing advanced AI capabilities,and enabling seamless device collaboration and connectivity within the ecosystem.Meanwhile,Xiaomi announced an update to its flagship series wit

59、h the global launch of its 14 series of smartphones,the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and Xiaomi 14,emphasizing their camera features as the third generation of devices developed via its strategic mobile imaging partnership with Leica.Both devices also run Xiaomis AI-focused HyperOS software,a human-centric OS de

60、signed to connect smart devices,cars,and smart home products in one ecosystem.Other notable device launches included seven models from TCL in an expanded 50-series of smartphones,including affordable 5G handsets and a range of NXTPAPER 5G devices,plus a series of NXTPAPER tablets.ZTE showcased sever

61、al new devices on its stand,notably its flagship nubia Z60 Ultra smartphone,budget-priced nubia Flip 5G foldable device,and nubia Music.It was the retro vinyl-styled nubia Music that held some attention at the show,not only for going against industry convention by integrating two 3.5 Millimeter(mm)h

62、eadphone jacks,but also through housing a massive DTS:X-certified speaker to the rear promising“600%higher volume than your average smartphone.”ZTE also launched the upgraded nubia Pad 3D II tablet,which uses Deep Learning(DL)algorithms to convert content into Three-Dimensional(3D)content without us

63、ing any additional accessories.In complete contrast,Nokia HMD pivoted away from using AI,let alone smartphones,as it instead revealed a new multi-brand strategy at the show.This was manifest by the announcement of the Barbie Flip Phone,a retro-style,bright pink feature phone due for launch in the su

64、mmer.Nokia HMD intimated that the co-branded device will be the first of many collaborations with other major brands,as it seeks to improve shipments and better serve more consumer segments.Major chipset suppliers Qualcomm and MediaTek were both out in force at MWC 2024,and Intel also featured heavi

65、ly,having become a major influence behind the drive to implementing AI in laptops.Each was keen to showcase its latest chipsets and solutions that are set to underpin the future of the mobile industry,with AI a fundamental component of design leading to deeper integration into products.Key for Qualc

66、omm was the push for its latest Snapdragon X80 5G modem-Radio Frequency(RF)system with an integrated 5G AI processor,targeting 5G-Advanced technology and NTNs,including its first 5G modem with integrated Narrowband(NB)-NTN for SatCom.On its exhibition stand,Qualcomm not only exhibited a plethora of

67、FWA,Mobile Broadband(MBB),and Virtual Reality(VR)/Augmented Reality(AR)/Extended Reality(XR)devices,all using its latest designated chipsets,but also showcased several partnerships it has with smartphone Original Equipment Manufacturers(OEMs)and their AI-powered smartphones,as well as the latest on-

68、device intelligent computing tools using the Snapdragon X Elite platform.In turn,MediaTek showcased its own on-device generative AI,offering demonstrations including its AI summary generator,dynamic image generation,and generative AI video generation based on the Dimensity 9300 platform.The company

69、also unveiled the T300,the worlds first RedCap Radio Frequency System-on-Chip(RFSoC)for 5G Internet of Things(IoT)and wearables,while a major experience on its stand was the“Ambient AI Computing Roadmap to 6G”experience.This showcased a collaborative generative AI computing concept in the home throu

70、gh the use of a MediaTek home router and collaborative computing via a cluster of mobile devices at home.David McQueen,Research Director5G DEVICES,SMARTPHONES,AND WEARABLESMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesTHE EMERGENCE OF DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING AND COMPUTING HUBS.Multiple companies,including ZT

71、E,China Mobile,NTT DOCOMO,and Qualcomm in partnership with Vodafone,have showcased various concept designs for distributed computing hubs aimed at households and Small and Medium Enterprises(SMEs).These hubs provide computing resources to end devices with limited power and computing budgets.The prim

72、ary goal of these hubs is to empower resource-constrained devices with advanced functionalities such as AI and generative AI,Advanced Video Codecs(AVCs),Advanced Audio Codecs(AACs),sensor fusion,content delivery and caching,XR content processing,and improved computing performance for a wide range of

73、 applications from gaming to productivity tools.For instance,Vodafone and Qualcomm have jointly unveiled the HyperRealityHub,a concept designed to offload intensive AR/XR computing tasks to the hub.This approach allows smart glasses and XR headset manufacturers to create sleek and fashionable device

74、s without the burden of accommodating power-intensive computing chips and related bulky components like large batteries required for XR content processing.Additionally,these companies are collaborating with Accedo,a software firm specializing in immersive TV and video experiences,to leverage the hub

75、 for delivering enhanced viewing experiences to pay TV operators and video content providers.Qualcomm has also launched its own AI hub,catering to devices with budget constraints,such as lower-tier smartphones,by offloading resource-intensive AI computations to the hub.ZTE has introduced a multimedi

76、a computing hub capable of servicing up to 12 devices simultaneously for a variety of tasks,including productivity applications,advanced codecs,gaming,AR/VR,and generative AI content.China Mobile has demonstrated several distributed computing hubs powered by Qualcomm and ZTE chips,spanning from enha

77、ncing legacy surveillance cameras with advanced machine vision capabilities to enabling lower-tier smartphones to access sophisticated content like AR/VR,gaming,and generative AI applications.Malik Saadi,Vice President,Strategic Technologies THE MOBILE DEVICES SECTOR RACES AHEAD IN ITS MOVE FROM CON

78、NECT TO COMPUTE AT MWC 2024.A year is a long time in the mobile devices market.Where the previous MWC espoused the virtues of the metaverse and offered an early peek at innovations using AI,this year,AI took the event by the scruff of the neck and became the dominant theme across all in the mobile v

79、alue chain.This was never more apparent than through the prominent showing at MWC 2024 of generative AI,which was designed to unleash new mobile experiences.Generative AI has dominated headlines over the past year,was writ large across most exhibition stands,and accompanied most new device announcem

80、ents.As is usually the case when following the mobile devices sector,most new product launches tend to be announced during the weekend prior to MWC and this year was no different.Key briefings and launch events were name-checked from Motorola,HONOR,Xiaomi,Nokia HMD,TCL/Alcatel,and OnePlus,which line

81、d up to announce their latest devices and aspirations for the sector with each devoting a healthy slice of airtime to AI.A customary trip to Hall 3,the traditional hangout for those in the devices ecosystem,had a“Vegas Strip”feel to it as the huge exhibition stands were splashed with bright neon sig

82、nage and bold colors,providing palpable guiding lights that paved the way along the main halls thoroughfare.Major mobile device industry brands,such as Samsung,HONOR,and ZTE all held prime spots,while Xiaomi,Lenovo/Motorola,Qualcomm,MediaTek,and Intel were stationed close by.The gaps between these m

83、ajor players were filled in by large global mobile carrier stands,and only OPPO was identified as a notable exclusion from last years event.David McQueen,Research Director5G DEVICES,SMARTPHONES,AND WEARABLESMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesSTEPPING BEYOND AI REVEALED FEW NEW INNOVATIONS AND CO

84、NCEPTS.Without a doubt,MWC 2024 had AI front and center of most mobile device ecosystem discussions and innovation,mainly through on-device integration in smartphones and redefining the PC experience with AI.Importantly,with so many tactile experiences on display,the industry is proving that AI can

85、be properly embraced through open collaboration,rather than just being another highly hyped,ethereal technology with no definitive use cases.While many devices were showcased that embraced AI,Deutsche Telekom went one step further with a demonstration of a concept AI phone in collaboration with Brai

86、n.The idea is to have a user-centered experience that simplifies and frees the user from apps,which is replaced by generative AI,thereby stimulating a fundamental shift of hardware,software,and experiences in the device.The concept phone uses hybrid models between on-device compute and the cloud,and

87、 5G is used partly to aid performance,but mostly to ensure security.No further details were given about the device,notably launch dates or pricing,but it provides a differing implementation of AI than was otherwise seen at the show.Also showcased at the event were two wearable products worthy of not

88、e.The first was Samsungs already announced new Galaxy Ring fitness wearable product,which can collect and track health and fitness data.The new form factor forms part of Samsungs wider“health vision strategy”and is strengthened further with Galaxy AI.A second interesting wearable gadget at the show(

89、on Qualcomms stand,in fact),despite actually being announced in November 2023,was the Humane Ai Pin,a wearable AI accessory that can respond to voice commands and gestures,or beam a projection onto the hand to perform tasks like translation and navigation.While Samsungs ring wearable is likely to qu

90、ickly make inroads into the nascent sector,it remains to be seen if the Ai Pin will form part of a wider selection of products that will become a staple in an era beyond smartphones.Other concept devices included Lenovos ThinkBook laptop with transparent display,and a Motorola bendable smartphone co

91、ncept that can be wrapped and worn on the wrist.While both devices were very novel in their approach to their individual target sector,it was difficult to determine what these differentiating factors actually provide to the end user and how they may provide requisite supporting user experiences comp

92、ared with other competing products.Perhaps time will tell if either product makes it out of the concept phase,but what the mobile industry can be sure about is that AI will undoubtedly flourish at MWC and continue to form a growing integral part of the devices ecosystem across varying form factors f

93、or many years to come.David McQueen,Research Director5G DEVICES,SMARTPHONES,AND WEARABLESMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesCONNECTIVITY AND COMPUTE MOVE CLOSER TOGETHER,PARTICULARLY FOR THE ENTERPRISE OPPORTUNITY.From a monetization point of view,MWC 2024 showed that the industry realized that

94、connectivity on its own does not provide an attractive enough value proposition,particularly for enterprises.Consequently,the event was heavily influenced by discussions around using edge computing,as well as public and private cloud deployments for enterprise use cases.In this context,MWC featured

95、a lot of interesting announcements combining compute and connectivity elements:NTT Data and Schneider Electric unveiled their collaborative efforts aimed at revolutionizing edge computing and connectivity.Their partnership focuses on integrating edge computing,Private 5G,the IoT,and modular data cen

96、ters.Similarly,Singtel and VMware(part of Broadcom)announced a partnership to allow enterprises to manage their connectivity and cloud infrastructure seamlessly.This partnership emphasizes the use of Singtels 5G capabilities combined with VMwares software-defined edge technologies for deploying miss

97、ion-critical applications.Leo Gergs,Principal AnalystTHE REVIVAL OF NETWORK APIs CONTINUES.At the same time,network Application Programming Interfaces(APIs)continued to be a major point of discussion on the show floor in 2024.Obviously,the concept of Open APIs is not new to the industry,but Ericsson

98、s acquisition of Vonage and Nokias launch of its Network-as-Code platform provided an additional push to the topic in 2023.With its main focus on monetizing the telco network,the 2024 edition of MWC showed that carriers,in particular,rest mostif not allof their hopes for new revenue streams on netwo

99、rk APIs:Deutsche Telekom,O2 Telefnica,and Vodafone are launching SIM Swap and Number Verify APIs on the Vonage platform,tackling online fraud and also working with Siemens Energy on AR quality on-demand tests.Orange,Telefnica,and Vodafone announced plans to open their mobile networks to developers w

100、orldwide,enabling the creation of safer digital services.In Brazil,Claro,TIM,and vivo will open their networks to developers worldwide,enabling the creation of safer digital services.In South Africa,operators Cell C,MTN,and Telkom welcome the launch of two universal network APIs that will be availab

101、le in South Africa to help combat fraud and digital identity theft in sectors that include banking,finance,insurance,and retail.While the proof of the pudding remains in the eating,these announcements show that operators are more committed to making network APIs commercially successful this time aro

102、und.Leo Gergs,Principal Analyst5G MARKETSMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesAI ALLIANCES AND PARTNERSHIPS DOMINATED THE SHOW.The majority of players who attended the congress dedicated their primary messaging toward AI,marking a remarkable shift in industry focus unmatched by any other technolog

103、y.The show witnessed the emergence of an unprecedented range of partnerships,alliances,and product announcements,all focusing on AI.These initiatives aim to help mobile operators in leveraging their substantial network investments to unlock revenue opportunities and achieve cost savings through oper

104、ational efficiency optimization.However,while the wiliness of stakeholders to collaborate on AI initiatives is viewed as a positive initial step,numerous industry insiders express reservations about the potential success of certain alliances announced at the event.Specifically,concerns linger regard

105、ing the viability of initiatives like the AI RAN Alliance and the Global Telco AI Alliance,with some cautioning that it may be premature to predict their effectiveness.Malik Saadi,Vice President,Strategic TechnologiesEDGE AND DEVICE AI CONTINUE TO BUILD MOMENTUM.Announcements over the last 6 months

106、have shown the progression of generative AI outside the data center with new deployments on-device and at the edge.This momentum continued at MWC 2024 with chipset vendors and OEMs making key announcements.Qualcomm announced the AI Hub,which contains a library of over 75 AI models optimized for the

107、Snapdragon platform to enable developers to build AI applications.Announcements around edge AI have also made headlines:Lenovo highlighted its Edge AI solution for telcos progress,while Intel announced its new edge AI platform,which simplifies development,deployment,and management of edge AI applica

108、tions.Going beyond software innovation,even telcos have caught the on-device AI bug.Deutsche Telekom announced the visionary concept of the“T Phone”device in collaboration with Qualcomm and Brain,while boldly claiming that“apps will become obsolete in 5-10 years”and will be replaced by an AI assista

109、nt that executes tasks on-behalf of the users goals.Although this may be fanciful,it is indicative of the bullish view that MWC 2024 has of distributed generative AI.Reece Hayden,Senior AnalystEVERY CONVERSATION REVOLVES AROUND GENERATIVE AI,BUT WHAT BIG STEPS ARE TELCOS AND SUPPLIERS TAKING HERE?Co

110、nversations with telcos remain rooted in the opportunities and use cases for AImostly generative AI.Conversations are one thing,but tangible deployments and value creation are certainly another.MWC 2024 did show some telco progress,especially driven by AI-focused telco-hyperscaler partnerships.Telef

111、nica announced a partnership with Microsoft to incorporate generative AI into its digital ecosystem,Kernel 2.0.Its goal is to enable new generative AI use cases,while solving privacy challenges.In addition,KT announced a partnership with Amazon Web Services(AWS)to build telco Business-to-Business(B2

112、B)AI use cases with AWS Bedrock(e.g.,AI assistants,agents,or verticalized platforms).The supply side was already busy.Huawei launched a new foundation model designed to support telco use case development,the Telecom Foundation Model.Its purpose is to support the development of sector-specific co-pil

113、ots and scenario-based agents.NVIDIA broadened its partnership with ServiceNow to develop telco-targeted generative AI solutions.One thing is clearthe telco market is recognizing the opportunities offered by AI deployment for operations and new products.However,it will still take time to see tangibl

114、e results,especially in customer-facing use cases,as reputational risk aversion(and other factors)will hinder the transition from Proofs of Concept(PoCs)to scaled deployments.Reece Hayden,Senior AnalystAI AND MACHINE LEARNINGMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesTHE MOBILE GENERATIVE AI ERA HAS ARR

115、IVED.The mobile generative AI era is very much upon us,as a host of OEMs and captive vendors announced new phones and PCs with AI onboard.Deutsche Telekoms prototype T Phone in collaboration with Brain was the most extreme example of this with a novel app-free user interface replaced by generative A

116、I,running on Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.HONORs sizable presence saw the announcement of the Magic6 Pro smartphone,running Metas LlaMA 2 on-device,and AI PC MagicBook Pro 16,both powered by heterogeneous AI chipsets.Chip vendor MediaTeks Dimensity 8300 and flagship 9300 Systems on Chip(SoCs

117、)were both shown to handle Llama 2 generative AI workloads on-device for the first time,and the flagship SoC pushed the envelope further with image,video,and Low Rank Adaptation(LoRA)fusion workloads,which can address up to 33 billion parameters.The company has incorporated LoRA Fusion into its Neur

118、oPilot AI software development platform,enabling developers to leverage the reduced storage cost of generative AI apps by up to 90%.Rival vendor Qualcomm responded with its own LoRA demonstration,and the launch of AI Hub,addressing PC,smartphone,XR and automotive form factors,including over 75 optim

119、ized AI models to speed up deployments of generative AI on-device.The rapid pace of hardware and software advancements propels the current innovation cycle by creating a virtuous circle for on-device generative AI capabilities.MediaTeks demonstration of LlaMA 2 running on the lesser Dimensity 8300 a

120、lso suggests that on-device generative AI will go beyond OEM and captive vendors flagship offerings,as competitors will want to keep abreast.The fact that LoRA fusion models are running on mobile chipsets underlines this trend,and this year will likely see further breakthroughs in multimodal generat

121、ive AI capabilities,especially as we approach the October launch of Qualcomms next flagship smartphone SoC potentially featuring more performant custom-built Oryon Central Processing Units(CPUs).Paul Schell,Industry AnalystAI AND MACHINE LEARNINGA PEEK INTO THE POTENTIAL FUTURE OF XR.Traditional MWC

122、 topics were obviously the focus(5G/6G,fixed wireless,mobile devices,wearables,etc.),but with an overwhelming addition of AI in nearly every category.While XR was not a high-level focus for the show,there were still some interesting announcements and glimpses into the potential future of hardware,so

123、ftware,and business models for operators and beyond.Apple was a talking point,despite not being at the event,showing how impactful Apples entrance into the market has been and will continue to be.Samsung revealed a few more details on its now official“XR”headset,with a hardware suite that sounds sim

124、ilar to Vision Pro.Alongside Apple and Meta,Samsung will be one of the largest technology names in the space going forward.Operators are interested in novel ways to monetize their platforms and services,and XR was a larger portion of their focus than in previous years.Vodafones HyperRealityHub,for e

125、xample,shows one approach centered on distributed compute through Qualcomm chipsets and Vodafone apps,connected,of course,with Vodafone networks and connectivity Intellectual Property(IP).There is increasing interest in smart glasses as an alternative wearable category,alongside smart watches and wi

126、reless headphones.Some“smart frame”devices have been in the market for years;without displays,expectations around optical passthrough(e.g.,see-through displays,rather than camera passthrough with VR)becoming more accessible and commonplace are growing.With advancements in connectivity and location t

127、echnologies,such as UWB and Bluetooth Auracast,there is an increasing role for this device type to play in between those existing wearable devices and high-end mixed reality devices like Vision Pro.Eric Abbruzzese,Research DirectorAUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITYMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesE

128、DGE COMPUTING GETS SMARTER AND INTELLIGENT EDGE INNOVATIONS COME TO THE FORE.Edge computing continued to be highlighted at this years MWC,with announcements on intelligence at the edge solutions taking center stage.Enterprises are looking at edge AI to help provide better business outcomes,leveragin

129、g edge-to-cloud orchestration for real-time data analytics.While edge AI is not new,there has been a resurgence in edge AI innovations due to the attention on generative AI,further fueling growth and demand for edge AI solutions.Lenovo introduced its next-generation Integrated Edge AI Solutions for

130、Telco,showcasing its collaboration with Telefnica,using video analytics and computer vision built with an edge-to-cloud platform to support public safety and enhance emergency response.Intel announced its Edge Platform,a modular and open software platform that helps enterprises develop,deploy,and ru

131、n AI applications on the edge.This platform provides developers with access to AI tools and capabilities for AI model development from edge to cloud.ABI Research believes that edge AI use cases will continue to grow as the edge computing industry matures,spearheaded by the need for faster actionable

132、 insights.Yih-Khai Wong,Senior AnalystNTN AND SATELLITES FOR THE IoT.The NTN has been a hot topic ever since MWC 2023.During the last year,wireless carriers and Mobile Virtual Network Operators(MVNOs)have been keenly signing partnerships with both established and startup(i.e.,Geosynchronous Earth Or

133、bit(GEO)and Low Earth Orbit(LEO)satellite constellation operators.Most terrestrial cellular operators will require multiple satellite partners in the long term,and have been prioritizing their current agreements on the basis of API compatibility and,ergo,ease of integration.But one question has been

134、:will the IoT need to wait for NTN services to be set up for and funded by consumer market requirements,or can the IoT act as an active driver for NTN in its own right?Concurrent with MWC 2024,IoT MVNO Emnify announced its SuperNetwork SatPlus plan,providing cellular and satellite IoT connectivity v

135、ia a single Embedded Subscriber Identity Module(eSIM).Emnify has partnered with Skylo,the emergent NTN partner of choice for many cellular operators,to offer 10 Megabytes(MB)of IoT cellular connectivity with an option for either 10,30,or 60 satellite messages per device per month.Network infrastruct

136、ure software provider Mavenir also announced successful trialing of NTN mobile data calls with its partner satellite operator Ligado Networks just a few days prior.The IoT is market based on the provision of business-critical guarantees,and has a fundamental requirement for continuity of service ava

137、ilability at a set price point for a message or a megabyte of data,anywhere in the world.The combination of satellite and cellular connectivity categorically helps to fulfill this need for maximal seamless-ness,with satellite being the on-demand fallback whenever cellular cannot deliver.This has alw

138、ays been possible for as long as both types of networks have existed,but it is only with 2022s NTN standards from 3GPP that it has become possible over a single radio modem.This has greatly increased the affordability of the proposition,spurring on active collaborations between cellular and satellit

139、e carriers now acting as two sides of the same connectivity coin and not as competitors.With NTN,converged connectivity is more affordable at the hardware level,and at the service subscription level with a single bill,simplifying matters for customers.Enmify claims to be the first to launch such a t

140、ariff plan for the IoT,but more are guaranteed to follow.NTN-enabled variants of IoT-specific modem chipsets have been released by Sony Semiconductor(ne Altair),Qualcomm,and UNISOC.Emnify is working with Sonys ALT1250 Cat-M&NB-IoT chipset with 2G fallback,in a Murata 1SC module Evaluation Board(EVB)

141、,to provide customers with a development kit to encourage and streamline the prototyping of NTN device designs.NTN-enabled IoT modem chipsets cost significantly more than their cellular-only counterparts,even though the primary difference between them lies in their firmware.This presents an addition

142、al revenue opportunity for semiconductor manufacturers,but not for module manufacturers and IoT device OEMs,which will add this cost into their own products,but will not be able to ask for an additional margin themselves,or else risk being uncompetitively priced.The IoT is a market of acute cost sen

143、sitivity,and it does not seem likely that NTN-enabled variants of IoT chipsets will be adopted by default,with the intent to seed the device ecosystem with latent functionality ready to be turned on in the future.Instead,NTN will be specifically selected for the portion of a given network of connect

144、ed devices that explicitly require it.Jamie Moss,Research DirectorDISTRIBUTED AND EDGE COMPUTINGINTERNET OF THINGS(IoT)MWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesHIGH-POWERED IoT MODULES AND AI.Cellular IoT module development continued apace at MWC 2024,with an interesting emphasis on higher powered off

145、erings.Fibocom launched its Snapdragon 460-based SC208 4G smart module,which incorporates Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS),an Android 14 OS,an octa-core processor;and an on-board Graphics Processing Unit(GPU)purportedly capable of multi-tasking 1080P video transmission with multiple simultan

146、eous camera inputs,with dynamically balanced power consumption.Fibocom claims the SC208 will potentially target smart Point of Sale(POS)terminals,industrial handhelds,body cameras,connected cars,and the smart homenamely,IoT applications requiring edge intelligence for the sake of greater productivit

147、y and efficiency with data-heavy tasks.The SC208 will be ready for mass production in April 2024.The vendor has always had a strong focus on broadband applications,and also released its Qualcomm QCM6490-based SC171 5G smart module at the show.The QCM6490 chipset has an embedded AI engine within Qual

148、comms Hexagon processor,with a claimed performance of up to 12 Tera Operations per Second(TOPS).MediaTek launched its new T300 5G RedCap chipset at MWC 2024,with the first module products to use it being announced independently that same day:Quectels RG255G and Fibocoms FM330.MediaTeks new chipset,a

149、nd the modules based on it,benefit from deliberate design elements intended to maximize efficiency and reduce cost.The T300 has an integrated RF Front End(RFFE),an 800 Megahertz(MHz)Arm Cortex-A-3 CPU;and with MediaTeks own UltraSave 4.0 firmware,the semiconductor manufacturer claims that power cons

150、umption has been reduced by as much as 60%in comparison to LTE Cat-4,and by as much as 70%when compared to other 5G Enhanced MBB(eMBB)chipsets.This level of component integration means that the resulting module size is also smaller than for any previous 5G or RedCap products.For 5G to be IoT-viable,

151、it needs to have explicit benefits over 4G;otherwise,the only compelling reason to switch is for the sake of longevityand Long Term Evolution(LTE)is expected to persist for a long time yet.The single most important requirement for IoT chipsets is always power consumption,as many remote autonomous de

152、vices rely on battery power.R17 RedCap is a long-term replacement for LTE Cat-4,so while throughput remains intentionally comparable,if greater onboard processing power can be provided at a decreased level of consumption,we can now have an active driver to choose 5G over 4Gthe one critical factor re

153、mains the unit price.Telit Cinterion also made a splash with its FE990B34 and FE990B40 5G modules that make use of Qualcomms Snapdragon X72 modem.Understandably,they are intended for use in bandwidth-hungry routers and gateways.And while 5G and high-category 4G smart modules do not represent the bul

154、k of all sales for the IoT,they do represent the majority of revenue for some vendors,so competition in that sometimes forgotten area of the IoT is increasing.Smart modules were once only commonly found in automotive applications,but are now finding their way into many others,especially as AI and it

155、s utility in the IoT is being explored in greater depths.AI as a topic was ubiquitous at MWC 2024,although practical IoT-related applications of it were tricky to find.One intriguing demonstration was hosted by Ericsson-owned Cradlepoint,with its gateways used to connect AI-powered recycling station

156、s that would tell approaching people whether the refuse they were holding and about to throw away was recyclable or not,and to visually direct them to the correct receptacle.Jamie Moss,Research DirectorINTERNET OF THINGS(IoT)MWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesAI/ML AT THE EDGE.The trend for indu

157、strial edge AI/Machine Learning(ML)has been growing.Earlier in February,EY announced the launch of its EY Edge Technologies Lab in partnership with Dells hardware and NativeEdge platform to make it easier for industrial companies to build edge applications and edge/cloud compute strategies.At MWC 20

158、24,the trend continued with NTT DATAs go-to-market partnership announcement with Schneider Electric.NTT DATA offers Edge-as-a-Service,a managed services solution helping.customers implement and maintain edge infrastructure and build advanced edge computing applications using AI/ML.Schneider Electric

159、 brings its EcoStruxure modular data center hardware and management platform.There are two main aspects to note.First,the role of System Integrators(SIs)is increasingly important in building advanced analytics applications using AI/ML for industrial markets,both in the cloud and at the edge.Second,e

160、dge compute in industrial often still means the data center or network level.This is the first step toward bringing AI/ML to customers premises,but there is additional work to provide a fully integrated multi-edge environment to industrial markets,with IoT monitoring applications as a key driver.Tan

161、cred Taylor,Senior AnalystAI/ML AT THE VERY EDGE.Neuton.AI,a Tiny Machine Learning(TinyML)development startup,partnered with STMicroelectronics in September 2023.Since then,the two companies have appeared in several demos together,and MWC Barcelona was another occasion for the two to demonstrate the

162、 early fruits of the partnershipnamely,“In-Sensor-AI,”an approach by which TinyML is embedded into Micro Electro Mechanical Systems(MEMS)sensor packages.The usual approach for TinyML is to embed small ML models on an Microcontroller Unit(MCU)(the“very edge”),where the local signal processing is carr

163、ied out.The partnership between STMicroelectronics and Neuton.AI takes ML one level deeper and enables small ML models to be embedded on an Intelligent Sensor Processing Unit(ISPU).As a result,the data are processed at the sensor level and the MCU either does not need to be awakened or does not have

164、 to carry out power-intensive processing.There are three important takeaways from this demo.First,the demo itself was shown on a smartwatch,a classic early-stage demonstration platform for TinyML.However,there are many potential applications,including for industrial monitoring.Second,this is only a

165、demo,but TinyMLs trajectory has been astounding over the past few years.ABI Research is aware of several other sensor companies assessing this approach or planning announcements in 2024,which many ecosystem participants consider the Holy Grail of TinyML.Third,over the past couple of years,STMicroele

166、ctronics has been keen to demonstrate its seriousness about Edge AI/ML,and this will continue be a major battleground for sensor and MCU vendors.Tancred Taylor,Senior AnalystCONTROLANT DISPLAYS ITS SAGA CARD.Supply chain visibility company Controlant used MWC 2024 as a platform to put its smart labe

167、l project on display.This makes Controlant one of the first solution providers to launch,or pre-launch,a cellular smart label product.With first prototypes appearing in 2020,cellular smart labels have been faced with significant engineering challenges.Recent announcements by Sony Sensos(raised US$20

168、 million in February 2024)and Controlant are showing that these projects may be turning a corner.It is worth noting that these projects are still pre-commercialin limited deployments with specific customersbut momentum is growing.Tancred Taylor,Senior AnalystINTERNET OF THINGS(IoT)MARKETS MWC 2024A

169、Minefield of Tech DichotomiesIoT SHOCKERSTHE RENESAS AND 1NCE ANNOUNCEMENTS.The biggest announcement that was not expected was Renesas terminating its agreement to purchase Sequans,all driven by an US$80 million charge imposed by the Japanese authorities for tax recovery.This has been reported widel

170、y,but worth mentioning is that both companies have an existing partnership,so current development activities should not change.The question is,will new product development slow,particularly in multi-technology devices.The bigger shocker was the announcement by 1NCE about its high data connectivity p

171、lan of US$5/Gigabyte(GB).1NCE is known for serving the low data IoT market with its Low-Power Wide Area(LPWA)US$10 for 10-year plan.The shock does not come from the customer community,but from the mobile operator community.All Mobile Network Operators(MNOs)want to serve the broadband IoT segments,as

172、 they are the most profitable and align to their smartphone-centric cost structure.A simplified IoT broadband connectivity plan could be quite disruptive,particularly one that offers a single bill for global connectivity.Will this offer rattle the relationships between 1NCE MNO investors and their r

173、oaming partners?Dan Shey,Vice President,Enabling PlatformsSATELLITE IoTSMALL SNOS HIGHLIGHT IoTS DIVERSITY.While the larger,well-established Satellite Network Operators(SNOs)own the majority of IoT connections today,the most visible SNOs at MWC were mostly the smaller,up-and-coming firms,including M

174、yriota,Sateliot,and HiSky.Myriota is an Australia-based SNO with a LEO constellation of nanosatellites.Sateliot recently launched its first LEO satellite and is betting on 5G NTN technologies.HiSky,also with a recently launched LEO satellite,came to market with a goal of supporting low-cost IoT conn

175、ections.Its hardware portfolio is expanding to support both Narrowband IoT(NB-IoT)and broadband IoT communications.Interestingly,these three companies highlight different strategies for supporting the IoT market.Myriota is leveraging LEO for the delivery of very inexpensive satellites,allowing low-c

176、ost IoT connectivity of less than US$1 per month.Sateliot,also a LEO operator,is building on the recent 3GPP Release 17 5G NTN standard.Standardized communications technologies can dramatically bring down device and service costs by leveraging an embedded base of NB-IoT device OEMs.Finally,HiSky is

177、building multi-technology connectivity hardware using LEO,Geostationary Earth Orbit(GEO),and cellular.Its software allows switching to the network most suitable for the application.In the near term,ABI Research sees a place for all of them and business success will depend on their cost structure rel

178、ative to the target application segments.Longer term,the question is how will standardization change the game for device development,which is a major driver of IoT growth.Dan Shey,Vice President,Enabling PlatformsINTERNET OF THINGS(IoT)NETWORKS AND SERVICESMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesESIM

179、 SGP.32 HYPED UP WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS.During my visit to MWC 2024,it became quickly apparent that the eSIMs new SGP.32 specification was top of mind,a significant focal point,and a topic that dominated all my discussions.SGP.32 is a new remote provisioning specification specifically designed for I

180、oT devices,aiming to simplify integration,provide switching capabilities between operators,improve scalability,and accelerate time to market.Regardless of where each vendor sat,as it relates to the cellular connectivity ecosystem,operators,smart card providers,silicon vendors,MVNOs,and IoT device ma

181、nufacturers all had SGP.32 either in development,within their development roadmap,or readily available pre-standardized solutions.There is clearly a high level of expectation and hype related to the SGP.32 specification,although this should not come as much of a surprise,as the existing Machine-to-M

182、achine(M2M)SGP.02 specification(which should be dubbed the automotive specification)was not fit for purpose as it relates to the broader IoT market.Despite the fact SGP.32 has not yet been fully ratified,some enterprises are willing to take the risk and deploy pre-standardized solutions,to ensure hi

183、gh levels of market readiness,such is the excitement and expectations levels that SGP.32 will finally unlock the potentially lucrative IoT market.Two large opportunities are clearly being chased and considered potential first movers/adopters of the new specificationthat of asset trackers and smart m

184、etering.It feels as though the industry and I have been speaking about and reporting on the potential of eSIM within the IoT space for many years.However,despite the market continuing to grow,it has somewhat been stunted in applications outside of automotive.After what I saw at MWC 2024,I expect thi

185、s slow and stunted paradigm to change,thanks to a purpose-built IoT specification,with 2024 and 2025 being critical growth acceleration years as the specification moves from development to being commercially available.Phil Sealy,Research DirectorECO-SIMA CONTINUATION ON THE TOPIC OF SUSTAINABILITY.I

186、t is near impossible to have a technology market discussion without sustainability and/or Environmental,Social,and Governance(ESG)goals being mentioned and my discussions at MWC 2024 were no different.With sustainability cutting across all businesses,products,and solution sections,my focus was firml

187、y set on the physical side,as it relates to removable Subscriber Identity Module(SIM)cards.Thales,IDEMIA,Giesecke+Devrient(G+D)and Valid,all SIM card providers,with a combined market share of approximately 64%are continuing to push their respective eco-friendly SIM cards.Although an eco-friendly SIM

188、 card may only represent a minor piece of an operators carbon footprint,each SIM supplier is clearly looking to do its part to maximize Mobile Network Operators(MNOs)ability to achieve their aggressive ESG goals.Eco-friendly cards are already becoming more prominent in the payment cards space and al

189、though it is early days for the SIM card market,early success has been captured,particularly within the European region.However,one of the remaining pain points is that of an eco-framework and common methodology to help MNOs benchmark each vendors eco-SIM solution and map out the carbon footprint of

190、 each product type.This will be a focal point throughout 2024 with the goal of publishing the framework by years end.It will be this framework that will define the growth trajectory of eco-SIM and help SIM customers compare apples to apples,avoid any green washing,and ultimately provide more clarity

191、 around the impact of the SIM card market on the ecosystem.Phil Sealy,Research DirectorTELCO CYBERSECURITYMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesWI-FI,BLUETOOTH,AND WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY WAS MWC 2024 A LANDMARK FOR MORE UBIQUITOUS ULTRA-WIDEBAND ADOPTION?There were some hugely significant chipset an

192、d Intellectual Property(IP)-related announcements at MWC 2024 that could pave the way for more accelerated adoption of UWB technology across both consumer and enterprise use cases.The most significant came from Qualcomm,which introduced its FastConnect 7900 Mobile Connectivity System,an AI-enhanced

193、connectivity chip that combines Wi-Fi 7,Bluetooth 5.4,and 802.15.4z-based UWB.Targeting the mobile,PC,and XR space.The impressive single 6 Nanometer(nm)chip has the potential to bring about additional cost,size,interference mitigation,and power consumption benefits,and signals Qualcomms belief that

194、UWB technology is here to stay.Much like with the introduction of Bluetooth Low Energy(LE)over a decade ago,much of the success of UWB will depend on its ability to have a high penetration rate within mobile devices and to transcend beyond the flagship devices to which it has been restricted to date

195、.Once this is the case,thanks to UWBs ability to support multiple functionalities,including secure ranging,sensing,and radar,and low-latency networking/data capabilities,this could propel a whole new wave of UWB-enabled devices that can interact with smartphones,including personal trackers,audio dev

196、ices,door locks,vehicle access,home entertainment devices,and many others.Alongside Qualcomms announcement,Shenzhen Giant Microelectronics(GiantSemi)unveiled its latest generation GT1500 UWB chipset,which it claims to be the worlds smallest UWB single-chip SoC with a footprint of just 9 Square Meter

197、s(mm2).In addition to targeting positioning and ranging applications,the solution supports data rates of up to 31.2 Megabits per Second(Mbps),which the company believes will open up new use cases for the technology.The company is mainly targeting space-constrained wearable and IoT devices,while part

198、ner companies at the show demonstrated and highlighted applications such as UWB tags with enhanced battery life,unlimited tag tracking via downlink Time Difference of Arrival(TDoA),and lossless UWB wireless audio.Also at MWC 2024,leading connectivity IP provider CEVA announced the general release of

199、 its RivieraWaves UWB IP platform supporting the latest FiRa 2.0 specification released by the FiRa Consortium in November 2023.The 2.0 specification is focused on developing interoperable solutions for untracked indoor navigation(enabling UWB smartphone users to navigate to Centimeter(cm)level priv

200、ately),find someone/something(enabling UWB users to find friends,luggage or items,or be located more accurately by ride-share drivers),and point and trigger use cases(controlling connected appliances such as Televisions(TVs),lighting,and thermostats by pointing their mobile device or smartwatch at t

201、hem to interact.CEVAs solution also features an interference cancellation scheme to enable better performance for highly accurate location,even within high-density wireless environments where other technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are already well entrenched,e.g.,the smart home or factory fl

202、oor.Combined,these recent announcements are vital steps toward enabling a scalable and interoperable UWB ecosystem that can provide high-performance positioning,sensing,and data communications across a number of consumer and enterprise applications.Compounded by recent investments in UWB from numero

203、us large-scale chipset providers and traction from leading ecosystem players,ABI Research believes that MWC 2024 could represent a solid foundation on which a more ubiquitous UWB rollout can be built.Andrew Zignani,Senior Research DMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesWI-FI AND WLAN TECHNOLOGIES A

204、ND MARKETSAs expected,MWC was replete with a host of Wi-Fi-related announcements,from ZTEs unveiling of what it claims to be the worlds fastest home gateway(the 14 Gigabits per Second(Gbps)LinkPro ZXHN F8748Q),to Qualcomms introduction of the first automotive-grade Wi-Fi 7 Access Point(AP)chipset(th

205、e QCA6797AQ).Yet,to truly put our finger on the pulse of the industry,we must look past such eye-catching announcements,and focus on the broader themes evident across the show floor.ISPS ARE CAUTIOUS ABOUT WI-FI 7.Wi-Fi 7 equipment was already widespread at last years MWC,but this year,it was omnipr

206、esent,with virtually all Wi-Fi exhibitors proudly allocating prime real estate to their flagship Wi-Fi 7 products.Yet,despite the prevalence of Wi-Fi 7,many equipment vendors privately shared that Internet Service Provider(ISP)interest in the standard was somewhat underwhelming.This lukewarm recepti

207、on reflects ISPs realization that the significant price premium of Wi-Fi 7 is currently hard to justify in light of the underdeveloped 6 GHz device ecosystem and the reality that the average consumer does not yet have a need for Wi-Fi 7s advanced capabilities.One vendor aptly described the situation

208、 as akin to the current state of the AR/VR marketa promising innovative technology that is being held back by a lack of compelling applications.This,combined with the pressures that ISPs globally are currently under to reduce CAPEX,explains why we will see only limited Wi-Fi 7 deployments this year,

209、a significant portion of which will be of the low-cost,dual-band only(lacking 6 GHz support)variety.Going forward,Wi-Fi 7s value proposition will gradually improve,alongside the expansion of 6 GHz-enabled devices and growth in network capacity demand,although ABI Research forecasts that it will not

210、be until the year 2028 that annual Wi-Fi 7 CPE shipments surpass those of Wi-Fi 6 CPE.Andrew Spivey,Senior AnalystSUSTAINABILITY AND FIXED WIRELESS ACCESS ARE KEY DIFFERENTIATORS.As the Wi-Fi CPE market further matures and competition intensifies,vendors are exploring new avenues to differentiate th

211、eir products.Two areas of divergence stood out at the show:sustainability and FWA.The first of these,sustainability,spanned everything from the use of recycled plastics to the application of AI to reduce energy consumption.European consumers are the most concerned with sustainability,and the Wi-Fi e

212、quipment vendors at MWC 2024 that placed sustainability at the heart of their value proposition,including Vantiva,Zyxel,and AVM,all have a large portion of their business concentrated on the European continent.A second major area of differentiation was 5G FWAthe rapidly expanding modem access techno

213、logy that is particularly attractive to MNOs,not only because it provides them a method to monetize their 5G network,but also because it enables them to capture business from their fixed-line operator competitors.Andrew Spivey,Senior AMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesWI-FI AND WLAN TECHNOLOGIE

214、S AND MARKETSCHINESE VENDORS IN SEARCH OF NEW MARKETS.Also conspicuous at this years MWC was the sheer number of Mainland Chinese Wi-Fi equipment vendors that were present,a fair number of which were exhibiting at MWC for the first time or returning after an extended COVID-19-induced hiatus.They wer

215、e motivated primarily by the prospect of enlarging their business with the international ISPs in attendance,a need heightened by the challenges they are facing in their domestic market,which has now become highly saturated and is suffering from drastically slowed growth.The rapid expansion of so man

216、y new vendors into the global market significantly raises competition,presenting ISPs with a greater diversity of choice and driving down equipment ASPs.An increased number of smaller-scale Wi-Fi CPE vendors also brings with it more capacity for CPE customization,a major benefit for the sub-Tier One

217、 ISPs,with limited procurement volume meaning that they struggle to gain customization priority from the larger CPE Original Device Manufacturers(ODMs).The emergence of these vendors will also exert pressure on the current market incumbents,driving them to differentiate and innovate to maintain thei

218、r edge.Andrew Spivey,Senior AnalystEXPANDING PLATFORMS FOR INDUSTRY COLLABORATION.The annual converging of the Wi-Fi industry at MWC makes the event the ideal venue ideal for forging new partnerships and agreements,and this year saw progress on several important industry initiatives.The recently est

219、ablished World WLAN Application Alliance(WAA)hosted its first roundtable to discuss the challenges the industry is facing and to debate the focus of its standardization agenda going forward.Several new partnerships were announced for the open-source OpenWiFi initiative,including one signed by the Ma

220、laysian Minister for Communications,Fahmi Fadzil,which will see equipment vendor Actiontec,cloud platform provider NetExperience,and Malaysian ISP YTL Communications Sdn Bhd deploy enterprise-grade OpenWiFi throughout Malaysia.Additionally,the event itself served as a platform to demonstrate the pot

221、ential of OpenRoaming,with seamless and secure Wi-Fi onboarding available to all 100,000+visitors at the Fira de Barcelona expo center,thanks to Ciscos OpenRoaming network installed at the venue.Andrew Spivey,Senior AMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesMEET OUR ANALYSTSMalik Saadi,Managing Direct

222、or,Vice President,Strategic Technologies Malik is focused on technology innovation across various industries,including telecommunications,consumer electronics IoT,and other emerging industries.With more than 16 years of experience in the telecommunications and computing industries as a technology ex

223、pert and analyst,he guides his research team toward uncovering the impact of technology innovation on different industries and markets,with the ultimate goal to provide clients with both quantitative and qualitative vision of the overall market development and how the various technologies involved w

224、ill empower this development.Dan Shey,Vice President,Enabling Platforms Dan Shey manages the Machine-to-Machine(M2M)/Internet of Things(IoT),digital security,and wearables research services,which cover the telco,industrial,Information Technology(IT)and Operational Technology(OT)ecosystems with a foc

225、us on devices,connectivity,platforms,applications,big data/analytics,convergence,and strategic analysis of the entire IoT value chain extending from devices through value-added services.Stuart Carlaw,Chief Research Officer As Chief Research Officer,Stuart Carlaw leads ABI Researchs analyst teams cov

226、ering global technology markets.Stuarts primary responsibility includes managing industry research content,technology and market focus,subject matter guidance,product portfolio mix,and custom research and consulting,as well as client engagements and strategic advisory provisioning.Dimitris Mavrakis,

227、Senior Research Director Dimitris Mavrakis,Senior Research Director,manages ABI Researchs telco network coverage,including telco cloud platforms,digital transformation,and mobile network infrastructure.Research topics include AI and machine learning technologies,telco software and applications,netwo

228、rk operating systems,SDN,NFV,LTE diversity,and 5G.Andrew Zignani,Senior Research Director Andrew conducts research into the rapidly changing wireless connectivity market,with a particular emphasis on market forecasts and qualitative insight covering Bluetooth,Wi-Fi,802.15.4,Near Field Communications

229、(NFC),HaLow,WiGig,and other emerging wireless standards and protocols.Andrew also writes reports on the technolog-ical evolution and long-term prospects for wireless connectivity technologies,particularly as they increasingly target new verticals across the Internet of Things(IoT)MWC 2024A Minefield

230、 of Tech DichotomiesEric Abbruzzese,Research Director Eric Abbruzzese primarily leads research efforts in Augmented Reality(AR),Mixed Reality(MR),and Virtual Reality(VR).Coverage includes devices,content,platforms,and use cases across consumer and enterprise applications.Additional coverage areas in

231、clude gaming,video,metaverse,and emerging technologies.MEET OUR ANALYSTSJamie Moss,Research Director Jamie Moss,ABI Researchs Research Director for Enabling Platforms,covers Machine-to-Machine(M2M),Internet of Things(IoT),and Internet of Everything(IoE)technologies.Jamie conducts competitive analysi

232、s,data modeling,and develops front-end analytical tools for products and services in the machine-type connectivity market.David McQueen,Research Director David McQueen,Research Director,manages ABI Researchs connected consumer devices and platforms market coverage,which includes data,trend,and forec

233、ast analyses on mobile handsets,smartphones,wearables,acces-sories,new mobile technologies,and semiconductors.Phil Sealy,Research Director Phil conducts research focusing primarily on smart card and embedded digital security technologies and ap-plications.He reports on new and emerging sectors,produ

234、cts groups,and technologies across the payments,government,Subscriber Identity Module(SIM),ticketing,and Internet of Things(IoT)end markets.Leo Gergs,Principal Analyst As part of ABI Researchs 5G Markets research service,Leo has a special focus on the commercialization of 5G,covering 5G use cases ac

235、ross several enterprise verticals and their financial impact.His area of expertise lies in identifying key enterprise vertical requirements and mapping then to 5G capabilities,and in turn identifying what the future use cases and potential new business opportunities will be for the new generation.He

236、 is in regular exchange with different enterprise verticals and associations like 5G-ACIA or 5GAA.He is also involved in calculating the economic value of 5G across different verticals and its contribution to global GDPMWC 2024A Minefield of Tech DichotomiesMEET OUR ANALYSTSTancred Taylor,Senior Ana

237、lyst As part of ABI Researchs Enabling Platforms research team,Senior Analyst Tancred Taylor focuses on asset tracking and visibility,which includes data,trend,and forecast analysis of the devices,platforms,networks,and services empowering the emerging technology market,as well as the business trans

238、for-mation that Internet of Things(IoT)tracking will enable.Tancreds coverage spans many industries from construction and heavy equipment to the supply chain and packages and parcels.Andrew Spivey,Senior Analyst Andrew is a Wireless Connectivity Industry Analyst in the Strategic Technologies team at

239、 ABI Research.He is respon-sible for producing qualitative analysis and market forecasts in the areas of consumer and enterprise Wi-Fi and wireless infrastructure,fixed wireless access,and other trends impacting wireless networking technologies.Paul Schell,Industry Analyst Paul Schell,Industry Analy

240、st at ABI Research,is responsible for research focusing on Artificial Intelligence(AI)hardware and chipsets with the AI&Machine Learning Research Service,which sits within the Strategic Technol-ogies team.The burgeoning activity around AI means his research covers both established players and startu

241、ps developing products optimized for AI workloads.Larbi Belkhit,Research Analyst Research Analyst Larbi Belkhit is part of ABI Researchs Strategic Technologies research group focused on 5G,6G,and Open RAN research.He is responsible for producing qualitative analysis and market forecasts on indoor an

242、d outdoor network infrastructure,Fixed Wireless Access(FWA),Massive MIMO,and other trends impacting network technologies.Yih-Khai Wong,Senior AnalystYih-Khai Wong is a Senior Analyst in the Strategic Technologies team.He is responsible for the distributed&edge computing research service,covering the

243、 evolution of processing platforms that handles various IT and OT workloads across the public,private,edge,and on-premises cloud.March 2024 ABI Research157 Columbus AvenueNew York,NY 10023 USATel:+1 516-624- CONTACT USIf you need help understanding the future of the industry or your market,or if you

244、 have critical questions that need to be answered,ABI Research can help.Whether you are a technology provider or end-market company,ABI Research empowers technology innovation and strategic implementation.ABOUT ABI RESEARCHABI Research is a global technology intelligence firm uniquely positioned at

245、the intersection of technology solution providers and end-market companies.We serve as the bridge that seamlessly connects these two segments by providing exclusive research and expert guidance to drive successful technology implementations and deliver strategies proven to attract and retain customers.