Volume 14, Issue 6 — March 28, 2022

rAVe DS [Digital Signage] — Volume 14, Issue 6

March 28, 2022 | Volume: 14 | Issue: 6

Welcome to your final Digital Signage newsletter of March 2022! How happy I am to be writing to you all about the things you can expect in the upcoming months.

First of all, we know that Digital Signage is one of the areas of AV we’ve tried to find a place for in the “new normal.” Yeah, I said it. There are those who believe people will never quite be OK with touching public touch screens again. There are those who believe we never stopped. I, personally, think there will be something in between — but I see more and more solutions utilizing QR codes for personal devices when it comes to wayfinding and stuff like that. I don’t think QR codes are going away any time soon! For more of what we can expect to see — don’t forget to come to DSE! I can’t wait for all the solutions we’ll see in Vegas and I’m expecting this show to answer a lot of the remaining questions I have about this side of the industry.

Also, I know you’ve been enjoying the Digital Signage LAVNCH & LEARN series. We have another coming up April 6 (my birthday!) all about unique installs. Do you think we’re going to start seeing more of these? Will there ever be a “regular install” again? Am I just being dramatic? Be sure to join this very special session to hear all about it.

Happy Monday, have a great week and if anyone needs me — I’ll be in St. Petersburg, Florida, soaking up some sun this weekend and hopefully sipping a daiquiri.

Bye!

— Steph Beckett

COLUMNS

+ Everything You Wanted to Know About the Chip Shortage (But Were Too Embarrassed to Ask) [Hope Roth]

It’s a scenario currently playing out at AV integrators all over the world. After a difficult year of pandemic-induced budget cuts, a client accepts a proposal for an install or upgrade. Paperwork gets signed. Purchase orders get cut. Product orders go out. And then … the waiting game begins. Phone calls are made. The waiting continues. More phone calls. More waiting. From the manufacturer to the distributor to the integrator, all anyone can do is wave their hands and say, “well, you know, chip shortage.”

+ Challenges from 2021 Set to Impact the Pro Displays Market in 2022 [Freddie Mosop & Victoria Tselykh]

A conflux of factors came to head in 2021: lockdowns, component shortages, government stimuluses, as well as fundamental changes to how people work and collaborate. This resulted in 2021 year-on-year (YoY) volume performance of 0.2% and 20.1% for projection and flat panel displays. While some manufacturers have been quick to capitalise and offer fresh solutions, other technology types were left behind and their decline accelerated. Ultimately, until supply-side issues are ironed out, it will be difficult to gauge an accurate picture of the market.