A record one billion smartphones will be shipped in 2013, mobile advertising will get split into two categories— tablets and smartphones— and more than 90% of user-generated passwords will be vulnerable to hacking in a matter of seconds. This is according to the 12th edition of the Deloitte Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) Predictions 2013 report recently released. The TMT Predictions 2013 report further forecasts that broadcasters will continue to deliver the majority of Over- the- Top (OTT) services and 4K televisions will not disrupt the marketplace just yet.

“With the rapid changes in all technological areas, this year’s TMT predictions show an interesting evolution that covers a range of topics, including the dominance of PCs or the security issues with the current password systems as well as the emergence of BYOC. Organisations will need to adapt to these changes in their behaviour with staff and clients.” states Georges Kioes, Partner and Technology Media & Telecommunications Leader at Deloitte Luxembourg.

There will also be an upsurge in momentum behind LTE, with 2013 being the first year in which LTE thrives across multiple markets, with the subscriber base tripling to 200 million by the end of the year. Usage of LTE will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary: the major benefits of subscribing to LTE from 3G are likely to be better performance from existing applications from e-mail to updating social networks.

Additional highlights of this year’s TMT predictions to impact the marketplace in 2013 include:

• ‘Mobile advertising’ thrives, led by tablets, but smartphone display lags - ‘Mobile’ advertising - a category including tablets, smartphones and feature phones - should grow by 50% to reach around €6.6 billion ($9-billion) globally
• A billion smartphones should ship for the first time ever - Usage, however, will become increasingly varied, with a growing number of smartphones ownes (about 400 million out of an installed base of 1.9 billion by year-end) rarely or never connected their devices to data
• The PC is not dead: it is about usage, not units - Of the total sales of PCs, tablets and smartphones in 2013, PCs will be about one fifth. However, more than 80% of the Internet traffic measured in bits will continue to be generated on traditional personal computers (desktops and laptops). Furthermore, of the total time spent at home and at work on PCs, tablets and smartphones combined, more than 70% will be on a PC
• 4K kicks off - 2013 will be the year in which the television industry starts preparing in earnest for the next iteration of high definition (HD) known as 4K, which offers four times the resolution of the current highest standard HD TV. The full roll-out of 4K will take years: in 2013, 4K will be in very few living rooms. There will be no 4K broadcasts in 2013, and there is little content so far. About 20 TV sets will be available to those wishing to spend around €11,000 - €18,346 ($15,000 - $25,000)  on a set
• Getting together: crowdfunding portals to bring in the bucks - Crowdfunding portals will raise around €2.2 billion ($3-billion) globally, a 100% increase over 2011
• Enterprise Social Networks (ESN): another tool, but not yet a panacea - More than 90% of Fortune 500 companies will have selectively or fully implemented an ESN by the end of 2013, a 70% increase over 2011. Of those who register, only a third will read content once a week or more and just 40% will make an ESN post in the average month
• Bring your own computer: a tale of two interpretations - Very few additional companies will adopt a bring-your-own-computer (BYOC) policy where the employer pays for the PC. At the same time, 50% of Fortune 500 companies will allow employees to bring their own personally-owned and paid for computers
• The looming spectrum shortage: worse before it gets better - The demand for wireless bandwidth continues to grow, causing increased spectrum exhaustion, leading mainly to slower speeds, but sometimes an inability to access networks, dropped calls or data sessions
• All you can app: middle ground - Between 50 and 100 mobile operators will offer all-you-can-eat services with unlimited access to specific application - a middle ground between unrestricted all-you-can-eat tariffs and metered data charging

Full details about the global TMT Predictions are available here: www.deloitte.com/lu/tmt-predictions