“Digital signage data analytics is the future of the signage industry.” It’s a statement uttered by many — including authors of articles we have published.
LG takes a firm opinion, too, but one that doesn’t sound as definitive. At their recent Commercial Display Tech Tour, head of marketing Garry Wicka said that the company believes the scope of the digital signage project at hand should very nuanced.
“Digital signage can be very basic — a restaurant owner who just wants to display this week’s special. They don’t need analytics. But is analytics important? Hands down.”
LG’s WebOS Platform has gained many manufacturer partners — many of them data-related — in just a few years, and is a testament to the company’s commitment to digital signage data analytics. But what else does Wicka believe will impact the digital signage market in the coming year?
What to watch in digital signage for the coming year
“I think you’re seeing very specific growth in areas where there’s non-traditional design. The market has opened the door to create new and interesting ways that displays are driven,” Wicka says.
Direct-view LED
“You see almost every and any flavor you can think of. It used to be for outdoor, jumbotron, billboard-type scenarios, but now you’re starting to see direct-view LED in lobbies, sports arenas, almost everywhere.”
Areas where people look for high-end viewing experiences are also likely to flourish, he says.
“We’re seeing a trend where people are really concerned about their viewing environment and want to create a great experience, be it in a simple hotel lobby or something more creative.”
4K and non-16:9 applications
Wicka says that, despite 4K’s chatter, there’s something more important about what customers are asking for: how the screens are positioned.
“It’s a design aspect: you’re going to see more curved screens, more bent screens; basically, anything that isn’t your standard 16:9.”
Does that mean that 16×9 is going away? Not at all, Wicka says. “All of these new aspects have added to the market overall, so the whole market has grown because of all these new things added-in.”
