The third platform, centered on mobile, social networks, big data, and the cloud, is in full swing.

"While the traditional ICT industry, the Second Platform, is expected to experience negative growth, the Third Platform, centered around mobile, social networks, big data, and the cloud, is expected to grow by an average of more than 4.7% annually."

IDC Korea held a press conference to forecast changes in the ICT market trends as the shift to a digital transformation economy begins in earnest.

Mark Sullivan, CFO of IDC, said, “The second chapter of the Third Platform is in full swing. IDC is focusing on mobile, social networks, big data, and cloud.” He explained, “Innovation Accelerators such as artificial intelligence (AI), security, 3D printing, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) utilized on the Third Platform will continue to grow at an average annual rate of more than 18.4%.”

He said, "IDC divides the development of the Third Platform into three phases. The second phase began in 2015. Data was used to reduce decision-making time, and personalization emerged in manufacturing, enabling customized services for consumers." He added, "In the third phase, which will begin in 2022, automation will be the keyword. “Robots and artificial intelligence will become commonplace, and quantum computing and machine learning will emerge as important elements,” he predicted.

Next, Han Eun-seon, Director of IDC Korea Enterprise Group, analyzed the impact of digital transformation trends on the scale of Korean IT spending based on the 2017 survey results and evaluated the digital transformation maturity of domestic companies.

A director explained, "In response to the changing global research environment, we plan to proactively communicate with the industry and media, in addition to simply providing market research data." He added, "As we transition to digital transformation, the market will become increasingly divided in a few years."

IDC predicts that companies that are slow to digitize their services or adopt digital native operating models will be pushed into increasingly smaller markets within the economic structure, and that the journey to becoming digital native companies will be driven by companies that aim to take the lead in the DX economy. On this journey, companies are expected to demonstrate close collaboration, strong innovation, and accelerated change to achieve their goals of becoming market leaders quickly.

Additionally, Director Han introduced several IDC campaigns that provide the latest IT trends and actionable insights in the field based on DX, including the 'CIO SUMMIT 2018', the DX Awards, and the Asia Pacific Smart Cities Awards (SCAPA).

Among these, the "CIO Summit 2018," held on May 24th, will be themed "THE FUTURE REIMAGINED: The Future of Commerce and The Future of Work." At this event, IDC will share strategies and case studies from various companies, fostering in-depth discussions on key IT trends. This event is expected to be a meaningful gathering for companies and organizations of all sizes seriously considering DX.

Since establishing its local subsidiary in 1997, IDC Korea has been providing insights into domestic technologies, industries, and trends based on extensive market research and years of accumulated research and analysis. Recently, they predicted that "digital transformation (DX)," in which 75% of businesses in the Asia-Pacific region will undergo digital transformation by 2027, is underway. This forecast, among other things, contributes to understanding the Korean ICT market and the outlook for the digital transformation era.