Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1299286
40 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2020 to controlling everything else—is increasing. The number of things that can be done with the system and the quality of the result, as well as the numerous choices available to you, are accelerating greatly. New Smartphones Every Two Years For the last decade, everyone has had to car- ry a smartphone. For much of that time, the phone you had was a measurement of your self-esteem, so many people had to get a new phone at least every few years. I believe that is changing. So many of the added features of the latest and greatest are no longer must- haves or provide added value. Thus, many of the phones look alike and perform in a similar manner. They also seem to be more du- rable and last longer. Many of the teens who had to get a new phone every few years now have to buy their own. I predict that the "get a new phone every two years" trend is decelerating, but the demand for 5G phones may delay that decelera- tion, and the interest in dual-screen phones may accelerate this segment for a while. XR and More VR use has been an up and down trend for the last few years, but now XR is one of the key areas to watch. The use of the XR description started at the AWE show a few years ago. XR is now used to describe the overall usage of VR, MR, and AR. XR is a tech- nology that made significant strides in the last two years. XR use has become easier, and its incorporation in many industry segments has rapidly increased in the last two years. The XR industry was reported by Market- Watch [1] to reach "USD 393 billion globally by 2025 with a CAGR of 69.4% during the fore- cast period. It was valued at USD 27 billion in 2018. Based on type, the XR market is catego- rized into mobile XR and PC-tethered XR. The former is expected to display a stellar growth rate during the forecast period owing to the procurement of portable devices. On the other hand, the PC-tethered XR segment is estimated to dominate the market due to the use of cloud services." Recent advances and product announce- ments show a significant reduction in the size, weight, and comfort of XR wearables, with some of the very capable ones becoming wire- less, making them more user-friendly. Capa- bility is improving, and prices are dropping, which is a typical indication of significant growth. The areas that will see a major effect of the use of XR include interactive learning, em- ployee and customer training, tech service, and retail sales—such as letting you see what your living room will look like when you in-