Come closer and gaze into the crystal ball. What changes will happen in the CCTV & Video surveillance industry? Will we see the demise of analogue technology? We pondered over these and a few more questions. We thought over the effects of Covid-19 and the new norm with regards to the video surveillance industry. Will temperature screening be a norm for the new normal?
We were chilling over a few cups of tea as we spoke about our CPF money when we started talking about future tech in our industry. In this article, we the lovely guys at Stroztech talk about several predictions that we’ve summarised below:
Temperature Screening Cameras
With the advent of Covid-19, we’ve seen more temperature screeners deployed at building entrances. More manufacturers are providing temperature screening solutions. Even D-Link has a temperature screening camera that can screen 30 pax at a time. Will we see temperature analytics become a new norm for cameras globally? Or is this only till a vaccine is found?
Increased network capabilities
Global networking technology and connectivity are improving. More devices and systems are already migrating to IP-based solutions. Control, video feeds and public access to systems are now available over networks.
Flexible & Scalability in CCTVs
Such CCTV systems will continue to grow in market share. Video surveillance will have to grow in terms of flexibility and scalability. Plug and play mobile cameras running on wi-fi and rechargeable batteries may become the future. It also introduces many challenges, such as wi-fi hacking and more extended battery use that manufacturers and integrators will have to overcome to be successful.
Video Surveillance storage
DVRs will decline in use and give way to on-camera, network, and cloud-based storage. You should check out Eagle Eye Networks.
Greentech
Will green technology have an impact on video surveillance? Of course. Can we power outdoor cameras with solar energy? There are solar powered cameras in the market now. Can we integrate our systems on such platforms? Shouldn’t manufacturers be focusing on this?
CCTV Leasing as an option
Something to look out for is affordable leasing plans, coupled with other hosted services, such as video storage. This feature brings us back to scalability as a business model. Leasing models also means tremendous savings on capital expenses.
Across the board growth?
In 2020, we see increased usage of video surveillance across the board. Currently, public spaces such as train stations, airports, hospitals require more watchful eyes. It’s no longer just banks and goldsmiths that require CCTV cameras. Laws dictating minimum resolution and quality in some instances is also coming. Due to the recent air crashes like MAS and Air Asia, there are even talks within IATA on cameras in planes.
What markets are important?
The US and European markets will continue to be the most lucrative. However, with the pandemic, we will see more burgeoning markets. Less construction in Singapore might see a slowdown in sales but the upgrading of existing cameras will still be on the table. The switch from analogue to digital systems will create quite a lot of turmoil, pushing some players out and bringing in new ones. Other regions such a South Korea and Japan with their robust network infrastructures will also receive a market share.
Afterthoughts
We tend to agree that a more networked world is leading towards a much stronger IP based CCTV industry. Unfortunately, this may translate into more expensive solutions in the short term. It will, however, potentially create whole new initiatives such as cloud storage and video analytics.
Storage will be an exciting topic. Will cloud-based video surveillance storage go mainstream? Government involvement could also be a significant consideration. We also think bandwidth may be a bottleneck, but as more regions get high-speed fibre-optic networks, maybe this won’t be as much of an issue.
Temperature screening will be fascinating to watch too. The pandemic doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. A vaccine is nowhere close at the moment. Manufacturers may consider this feature as a norm.
If you know of other future camera technology feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to share that information with our readers.
