The PC Isn't Dead but it is No Longer the Only (Computing) Game in Town

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 01/18/11 -- As Canadian consumers and enterprises enter a new decade, they will continue to move away from a predictable, but narrow, world of standardized computing devices like the PC, and vote with their wallets in favour of a diversity of choices including tablets and smartphones. Today Deloitte unveiled its 2011 global TMT Predictions reports and launched its Canadian road show presentation series - revealing the top TMT trends Canadians can expect to see in the coming year and beyond.Now in its 10th year, Deloitte's TMT Predictions are a highly anticipated annual series of global insights that showcase the emerging TMT trends that will significantly impact businesses and consumers in the coming year and beyond. The 2011 Canadian TMT Predictions are based on research, in-depth interviews and input from Deloitte clients and alumni, industry analysts, leading global TMT executives, and more than 7,000 Deloitte TMT member firm practitioners.

"Like kids in a candy store, consumers and enterprises will be excited, yet overwhelmed by the sheer variety of options available to them," says Duncan Stewart, Director, Deloitte Canada Research and co-author of TMT Predictions 2011. "With PCs, netbooks, tablets and smartphones, buyers must choose among a wide array of functionalities, platforms, operating systems, sizes, features and price points."

This new computing world offers Canadians many things the "one size fits all" PC-dominated world did not, including computing choices that can be more affordable, connected, mobile, pervasive, reliable, useful and fun, and that can be used in many different environments by both adults and children. On the other hand, with a more varied device environment, enterprises and consumers will need to seek optimum solutions for buying, replacing, managing and supporting these new tools.

"Probably the biggest change for this year for consumers is the need to choose which device to buy. For enterprises, the question is which devices to support," said Richard Lee, Deloitte Canada's National TMT Leader. "Should we buy a tablet? If so, which tablet? Should we standardize on a smartphone or support multiple devices? It's an utterly different computing world from only two years ago."

Lee went on to say, "While the plethora of new options will drive change, some things will stay the same. Despite the introduction or adoption of devices like PVRs, over-the-top television boxes or alternate forms of video entertainment, traditional TV remains overwhelmingly popular with viewers and continues to command the best ad rates of any media sector. It looks like the future of TV - at least for 2011 - is TV."

According to Deloitte Canada's TMT leadership across the country, the top 10 most significant TMT trends that will impact Canada in 2011 are:

1. Smartphones and tablets: More than half of all computers aren't

computers anymore

2. Tablets in the enterprise: More than just a toy

3. Operating system diversity: No standard emerges on the smartphone or

tablet

4. Social network advertising: How big can it get?

5. Television's "super media" status strengthens

6. PVRs proliferate! The 30-second spot doesn't die!

7. Push beats pull in the battle for the television viewer

8. What's "in-store" for Wi-Fi: Retailers roll-out Wi-Fi to encourage in-

store

9. Getting to 4G cheaply: Will many carriers opt for 3.5G instead? The

proliferations of new computing devices doesn't mean that we need new

networks.

10. Wi-Fi complements cellular broadband for "data on the move"

Full details of both the top 10 Canadian and global TMT Predictions are available online at www.tmtpredictions.ca and can be viewed on the following social media channels and vehicles:

- Ustream.tv - Watch the Montreal event live on January 19 at: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/deloitte-tmt-predictions-2011

- Twitter - Tweet with us at http://twitter.com/DeloitteCanada (hashtag: #TMTPred2011)

- Flickr - See photos of the Toronto and Montreal events at http://flickr.com/photos/deloittecanada/

- Facebook - www.facebook.com/deloittecanada (hashtag: #TMTPred2011)

- YouTube - www.youtube.com/deloittecanada

In addition, the predictions will be showcased in an eleven-stop cross-country TMT Predictions road show series in Toronto (January 18); Montreal (January 19); Quebec City (January 20); Ottawa (January 21); St. John's (January 24); Halifax (January 25); Winnipeg (January 26); Saskatoon (January 27); Edmonton (January 28); Vancouver (January 31); and Calgary (February 1).

About Deloitte

Deloitte, one of Canada's leading professional services firms, provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services through more than 7,600 people in 57 offices. Deloitte operates in Quebec as Samson Belair/Deloitte & Touche s.e.n.c.r.l. Deloitte & Touche LLP, an Ontario Limited Liability Partnership, is the Canadian member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms.