On Convergence

By Harry van Vliet on 12 January 2008

In discussions on convergence it is of the utmost importance to ask ourselves: what convergence are we talking about?. We must at least distinguish between convergence of content (audio, video, data), devices (PC, TV, game console, mobile), distribution channels (Internet, cable, satellite, terrestrial), technologies (compression techniques, transmission, addressing), companies (globalisation, vertical versus horizontal market developments), services (search & retrieval, personalisation, communication) and usage (escapism, informational). If we evaluate these on a scale of ‘likelihood’ of convergence happening, we can state that the convergence most likely to happen are those of:

1. Content: content will become more multimedial because of digitisation and more and more information disclosure is done electronically (e.g. Internet). This does not mean written texts will disappear but it does mean that for instance a newspaper will contain video footage, audio commentaries et cetera, when disclosed via a terminal, for instance a web tablet or e-book.

2. Technology: the fact that many initiatives for standardisation are taken up, of which MPEG (multimedia) and TV-Anytime (television) are just but two examples, is a sign for the recognition of leaving proprietary systems behind and working towards ?open? systems. Open mostly in the sense of ?open? to communicate and integrate with other systems, but sometimes even in the sense of open sources (i.e. Linux).

3. Companies: given the rate of take-overs and the scale of the large companies that are forming means companies recognise the added value and necessity of teaming up.

4. Services: personalisation, communication, search & retrieval services are all going to be of great importance in a world with an abundance of digital content, whether stored/accessible via the Internet or broadcasted or locally stored.

The convergence of distribution channels and the convergence of usages are I think the least likely to happen. Different distribution channels all have strong points and weak points, leaving no clear winner, at least for now. Moreover they have different historical roots, and different economical players and forces are at work. It is therefore not likely we will see a convergence of distribution channels. Similarly we won?t see a convergence of usage. On the contrary one of the forces against convergence is that there are different needs leading to different usages. The ?lean forward? versus ?lean backward? attitudes can be related to different needs of information seeking versus relaxation. These do not merge into something new.

The convergence of devices is indecisive. Several examples of ‘cross-over’ devices are with us today, combining different functions into one device (smartphones, tablets). These ‘mutations’ are there and some will succeed in surviving while others will be left behind in history. Surely there will be fax/copier/scanner devices, just like mobile/PDA/MP3 devices, but they exist as the integration of several functions in one device, nothing less nothing more.