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90 SMT007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2024 consumers to configure and order products that are individualized to their specific require- ments. By way of example: one database lists more than 1,200 configurator companies, orga- nized in 17 categories 1 . In 2020, Jagjit Singh Srai, head of the Center for International Man- ufacturing at the University of Cambridge, told the New York Times that he predicted most major consumer companies would offer cus- tomization by 2025 2 . From all this, it is clear that the trend toward customization is here to stay. As electronic devices become integral to our lives, the mar- ket will continue to demand devices that are tailored to individual needs and preferences. Development Cycles in the Electronics Industry Are Getting Shorter Among the benefits of shorter develop- ment cycles is the ability to respond quickly to changes in the market and customer demands. Shorter development cycles also allow for more frequent release of new features and functionality, which can help to keep custom- ers engaged. However, shorter development cycles can also lead to increased pressure on development teams and can make it more difficult to ensure the quality of the final product. ere is also the risk that products may be released before they are fully ready, which can lead to customer dis- satisfaction. Despite the challenges, the trend of shorter development cycles is likely to con- tinue, as the benefits outweigh the risks. Devel- opment teams that can adapt to the challenges and learn to work in an agile way will be well- positioned to succeed in the future. As development cycles contract, and time to market becomes increasingly important, fac- tories are being forced to digitize in order to improve efficiency, bring their manufactur- ing closer to customers, and shorten the new product introduction (NPI) process. One sur- vey of manufacturers in Germany found that just over 90% of factories are investing in dig- ital technologies 3 . Of those, almost all (98%) electronics industry moves toward cloudifica- tion, we can expect to see more manufacturers offering cloud-based solutions and services, and the shi to online DFM is a natural exten- sion of this trend. Results e extensive literature survey resulted in an in-depth review and exploration of recent trends of cloudification in the electronics industry with a focus on the printed circuit board industry, detailed in the discussion sec- tion of this article. is literature survey confirms that cloudi- fication is a foregone conclusion for the elec- tronics industry and we may infer that the pace of cloudification is increasing as time goes by. Moving resources and managing the develop- ment process in cloud-based tools is viewed as a way to reduce cost, improve workflow effi- ciency, and reduce time to market. Adoption of cloud-based tools as standard practice in electronic design is a clear industry trend, and companies are vying for position in the mar- ket to provide cloud-based services and tools to this emerging market. We propose that DFM analysis is the next PCB lifecycle event that will migrate to the cloud. We also propose that further research is warranted to determine what specific markets will evolve for services in the cloud paradigm, and how the shi of market share to smaller companies will affect the services provision and consumption models. e electronics industry is grappling with multiple interrelated challenges as described below. Increasing Customization of Electronic Products As complex electronic devices become ubiq- uitous in our everyday lives, there is an increas- ing demand for devices that are customizable to individual needs. An indication of the rise in customization is the growing number of companies that allow