IT sector may grow 6% in Latin America in 2010, says IDC
Valor Econômico
The technology information (IT) and telecommunications market leaves behind the effects of the financial crisis that have affected the performance of the global economy in 2008 and 2009. The IDC consulting firm estimates the companies in these areas will invest US$ 1.5 trillion in the world this year, which shall represent a growth of 3.2% over 2009. According to the Vice President of research and consulting for the IDC Latin America, Ricardo Villate, the emerging countries will boost such performance. In Latin America, the growth rate will be 6.3%, with investment of US$ 66 billion, compared to 2009's US$ 62.4 billion. The Bric (group formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China) will also have above-average performance, with rates between 8% and 13%.
"The investments in Latin America will be bigger. However, consumers will demand more quality and lower prices", remarked Villate. The concern with mobility will dictate the path of those sectors, he added. Consumers should access more the Internet and see more TV in the car, in cell phones and in other mobile devices.
In the IT sector, a significant part of the Latin American investments will be intended for the area of equipment, which this year should have operations of US$ 20 billion, with an increase of 6.4%. According to Villate, the increase is the result of a demand that was repressed last year and of the interest for the replacement of desktop for portable computers (notebooks and netbooks). The participation of the portable equipment should go from nearly 40% of the market in 2009 to 50% this year.
The software sector will grow 3.7% this year, mainly stimulated by the more heated demand in the companies. The management software segment will grow 12% and that of analysis software, 8%. The so-called cloud computing (model in which data travels through the net, instead of remaining in the user's computer) will also gain relevance, with a growth of 45% in the market. The IDC also foresees an increase of 18% in the number of broadband users in the region this year. In 2009, broadband accounted for 35.5% of the Internet accesses, and this year it should represent 41.9%.
For the telecommunications sector, Villate foresees an increase in the offer of mobile services, such as digital TV, radio and mobile broadband. He estimates the offer of fixed broadband will come to its limit, whereas the demand for mobile broadband should grow 49% in the year, reaching 11.2 million users. The adoption of smart phones should overcome the record mark of 11 million units, compared to the 7 million of last year.