Telecom
Ericsson Unveils 2018 Hot Consumer Trends
Olivier Vandermoten, country manager, Ericsson Nigeria has unveiled Ericsson ConsumerLab seventh edition of its annual trend report, ‘‘The 10 Hot Consumer Trends for 2018 and beyond’.
The report points to a paradigm shift as consumers expect digital technology to increasingly operate on human terms.
It added that body language, facial expression, and intonation will augment voice and touch to control consumer interaction with tech devices, easing adaption in an ever-increasing pace of technological change.
Among the 10 trends for 2018 and beyond include:
– Your Body is the User Interface: More than half of current users of intelligent voice assistants believe that we will use body language, expression, intonation, and touch to interact with tech devices as if they were fellow humans. Some 2 in 3 think this will happen within a mere 3 years.
– Augmented Hearing: 63 percent of consumers would like earphones that translate
languages in real time. 52 percent want to block out a family member’s snoring.
– Eternal Newbies: 30 percent say new technology makes it hard to keep their skills up to date. But it also makes us instant experts. 46 percent say the internet allows them to learn and forget skills faster than ever.
–Social Broadcasting: Social media is being overrun by traditional broadcasters. But half of consumers say AI would be useful to check facts posted on social networks.
– Intelligent Ads: Advertisements may become too smart for their own good. More than half of augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR) users think ads will become so realistic they will eventually replace the products themselves.
– Uncanny Communication: 50 percent think not being able to tell the difference between human and machine would spook them out. 40 percent would also be spooked by a smartphone that reacts to their mood.
– Leisure Society: 32 percent of students and working people do not think they need a job to develop a meaningful life. 40 percent say they would like a robot that works and earns income for them, freeing up leisure time.
– Your Photo is a Room: Imagine being able to walk into a photo and relive a memory. 3 out of 4 believe that in only 5 years they will use virtual reality to walk around in smartphone photos.
– Streets in the Air: City streets may be choked with traffic but the skies remain free.
39 percent think their city needs a road network for drones and flying vehicles. But
almost as many worry that a drone would drop on their head.
– The Charged Future: The connected world will require mobile power. More than 80 percent believe that in only 5 years we will have long-lasting batteries that will put an end to charging concerns.
Michael Björn, Head of Research, Ericsson ConsumerLab, says: “We are entering a future where devices neither have buttons and switches nor need to be controlled digitally via your smartphone.
In fact, this may be a necessary change, as it would be difficult for people to learn a new user interface for every device that gets connected to the Internet of Things.
“Today, you have to know all the intricacies of the devices you use. But in the future, the devices will know you instead. For this to become a reality, devices must be able to relay complex human interaction data to cloud-based processing, and respond intuitively within milliseconds, increasing requirements on next generation connectivity.”
The insights in the 10 Hot Consumer Trends for 2018 report are based on Ericsson
ConsumerLab’s global research activities over more than 22 years, and draw on data from an online survey of advanced internet users in 10 influential cities across the world, performed in October 2017.
Although the study only represents 30 million citizens, their early adopter profile makes them important to understand when exploring future trends.
With the introduction of Travel Saga, a premium, fast-paced gaming experience that is currently live and accessible to customers on its network, Globacom has lifted the bar for mobile entertainment in the country.
Travel Saga is a story-driven, intricately connected role-playing game designed to provide the thrill, complexity, and competitive intensity of some of the most well-known action games in the world.
The game, which has been painstakingly optimized for mobile devices, redefines mobile gaming as a full-fledged digital battlefield by translating a console-grade experience onto data-enabled handsets.
Fundamentally, Travel Saga takes users on quick virtual journeys against recognizable international landscapes. In a dynamic, ever-evolving gaming environment, players are thrown into furious missions, fierce fights, and ever-expanding tales where talent, strategy, and endurance determine who rises through the ranks to become a true war hero.
In addition to the excitement of fighting, users are encouraged to go to various locations, take part in thrilling challenges, and participate in intense competition for in-app rewards like points and victory badges. With each encounter and accomplishment, the immersion increases with each level, maintaining momentum and excitement.
Flexible subscription plans with one-time or auto-renewal choices are available to subscribers for the service, which costs ₦100 per day and ₦250 per week. By dialing *70021#, customers can quickly subscribe and gain instant access to the action.
With Travel Saga, Glo reaffirms its dedication to innovation and high-end digital experiences, making top-notch gaming easily accessible to its customers. The game offers uninterrupted action, adventure, and competition, all smoothly supported by the Glo network.
SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.
SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.
Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
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