Since a decade, the computing technologies have been surprising with innovative and effective products and services. Unlike traditional computing technology, the recent trends have introduced new dimension of computing, reduced size of systems and increasing processing speed are the key innovations that industries and individual end-users looking for. Surface computing was one of such innovation which uses sensing and display techniques to integrate real objects and digital contents.
Surface computer was introduced by Microsoft in early 2007, during which the touch screen, stylus and tablet PCs were emerging into the main stream of the market. Microsoft had vision to develop on touch screen tactic to change the way people interact across the table with each other. Surface computing works on the basic principal of touch interface, the various touch interface would include direct interaction, multi-touch, multi-user, and object recognition. Surface computers are majorly found in retails, multiplexes, shopping malls, restaurants etc. Increasing feasibility of surface computer deployment will gain traction from various end-user such as education, the surface computer are expected to be utilized in next generation classrooms for interactive learning and training experience. Eventually this trend is expected to set applications in home entertainment in near future.
Some of the key challenges the market is experiencing currently include high price of surface computers, components required to deploy the surface computer are many and implementation is complex, and software associated with surface computer are limited. These are key factors which hinder the growth of the surface computing market. However key players in the market are more focused continuous R&D to make the product and service more flexible and feasible enabling users to make a move towards new computing trends. Hence the surface computing market is expected to adhere to growing trends by 2028.
The surface computing market is broadly classified into four segments which include components, interface, applications and geography. Some of the key components which are responsible for surface computer operation are sensors, infrared light source, processors, DLP projectors, memory, infrared cameras, and others. Interfaces are unique proposition of surface computing trends, they are further segmented into direct interaction, multi-touch, multi user experience, and object recognition. Some of the key application covered under application segment include entertainment, banking, industrial, education, retails, hotels and restaurants, and commercials. The global surface computing market is also divided by geography and include regions such as North America, Europe, APAC, South America (SAM) and Middle East Africa (MEA).
North America being one of the leading hub for technologies, companies in this region are more focused on offering solution and services to engage most of the manufacturers across the globe. Europe leads in industrial and manufacturing industries, surface computing also have role to play in these industries which will upsurge the market for surface computing in European regions. APAC is one of the key regions which include growing economies such as China, Japan, India, etc. hence this region is considered to be fastest growing and is estimated to gain major share of the market in near future. APAC will play a vital role in components manufacturing and service.
Some of the key players in global surface computing market include Microsoft Corporation, Planar Systems Inc., 3M Co., Viewsonic Corporation, Lenovo Group Ltd., Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Toshiba Corporation, and Sony Corporation among others.