Information Technology Industry Overview

The IT services market consists of sales of IT services and related goods by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that apply technical expertise and knowledge to enable organizations to create, manage and optimize their IT processes. The information technology services market breaks down into custom computer programming services, computer systems design services and computer related services.

The information technology (IT) market consists of sales of information technology (IT) services and related goods by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that apply computers, computer peripherals and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and maneuver data. The IT market involves services such as computer networking, broadcasting, systems design services and information distribution technologies like television and telephones and other equipment used during the process. The IT market also includes sales of goods such as computers, computer peripherals and telecommunications equipment which are used in providing IT services. The IT market is segmented into IT services; computer hardware; telecom and software products. The global information technology market is expected to grow from $7850.57 billion in 2020 to $8370.95 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $11866.34 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 9%. North America was the largest region in the global information technology market, accounting for 34% of the market in 2020. Asia Pacific was the second largest region accounting for 32% of the global market. Africa was the smallest region in the global information technology market. The demand for cloud computing services is expected to drive the demand for IT services during the forecast period. In cloud computing model data is stored on the internet by a cloud computing provider, who manages and operates data storage as a service. Many companies are now choosing applications hosted in the cloud for their day-to-day operations. For example, according to statistics provided by hostingtribunal.com, 60% of computing workloads were running in the public cloud in 2019 Similarly, 94% of enterprise workloads are expected to be processed by cloud data centers in 2021 . Companies are also opting for cloud-based data storage; thus boosting the demand for IT services. The outbreak of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has acted as a significant restraint on the information technology market in 2020 as supply chains were disrupted due to trade restrictions and employees working for these establishments faced difficulties related to infrastructure and communication owing to lockdowns imposed by governments globally, forcing them to work from home. COVID 19 is an infectious disease with flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing. The virus was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province of the People’s Republic of China and spread globally including Western Europe, North America and Asia. Steps by national governments to contain the transmission have resulted in a decline in economic activity with countries entering a state of lockdown and the outbreak is expected to continue to have a negative impact on businesses throughout 2020 and into 2021. However, it is expected that the information technology market will recover from the shock across the forecast period as it is a 'black swan' event and not related to ongoing or fundamental weaknesses in the market or the global economy. Over the past five years there has been an increasing prevalence of low cost open source alternatives. Open source has become a preferred platform for developing new technology. In the past, software publishers would open source software that was not making money, but now companies are open sourcing software to increase its presence and share in the market. According to Allison Randal, President, Open Source Initiative, 78% of companies use open source solutions and 64% participate in open source projects indicating an increase in open source software platforms to build applications in 2015. Major companies in the market include AT&T; Apple; Verizon Communications Inc.; China Mobile Ltd; Microsoft. The countries covered in the global information technology market are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA. The regions covered in the global information technology market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The global information technology market is segmented - 1) By Type: IT Services, Computer Hardware, Telecom, Software Products 2) By Distribution Channel: Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, E-Commerce, Others 3) By Nature: Organic, Conventional Subsegments Covered: Hardware Support Services, Software And BPO Services, Cloud Services, Computer Peripheral Equipment, Computer Storage Devices And Servers, Computers, Wireless Telecommunication Carriers, Wired Telecommunication Carriers, Communications Hardware, Satellite & Telecommunication Resellers, Operating Systems & Productivity Software Publishing, Database, Storage & Backup Software Publishing, Business Analytics & Enterprise Software, Video Game Software, Design, Editing & Rendering Software

The computer hardware market consists of sales of computer hardware and related services by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that provide computer hardware including personal computers (PCs), laptops and tablets, computer storage devices, peripheral equipment, etc. The computer hardware market includes servers and processors but does not include embedded systems used in automobiles and manufacturing plants. The computer hardware market is segmented into computer peripheral equipment; computer storage devices and servers; and computers. The global computer hardware market is expected to grow from $862.93 billion in 2020 to $944.09 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $1178.15 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 6%. North America was the largest region in the global computer hardware market, accounting for 43% of the market in 2020. Asia Pacific was the second largest region accounting for 29% of the global market. Africa was the smallest region in the global computer hardware market. The computer hardware market is expected to be aided by rapid growth in investments in smart city projects in many countries globally. Smart city technologies use information and communication technologies to efficiently manage and operate urban services including transportation systems, water supply and law and order. These technologies are enabled through IoT technology. IoT is a convergence of computing devices, mechanical and digital objects. This system facilitates the transfer of data over a network without human interaction and minimal human to computer interaction. Smart cities use computers and related hardware, thereby benefitting the companies operating in this market. In 2018, APG Algemene Pensioen Groep N.V. announced investment of €250 million in “Smart City Infrastructure Fund”, for development of smart city projects across North America, Europe, Australia and other major urban areas in the world. The concept of smart cities is becoming more popular in developing nations too. For instance, more than 1,000 smart city pilot projects are either ready for or are under construction globally and around 500 of these projects are in China. Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) is currently the largest growing waste stream and rising regulations regarding its recycle and disposal are likely to hinder the growth of the computer hardware market. E-waste is hazardous and expensive to treat in an environmentally sound manner, and there is a general lack of standardized legislation or enforcement regarding e-waste. Close to 50 million tons of e-waste is generated globally every year and this e-waste is generally discarded in the general waste stream. Within these regions, e-waste is recycled using rudimentary techniques. E-waste has adverse environmental and health implications, for example, e-waste represents only 2% of solid waste in landfill globally but it accounts for up to 70% of the hazardous materials. Safety and health issues, labor issues and regulatory frameworks related to the management of e-waste can be a threat to this market going forward. Many technology companies are introducing tablets to replace laptop computers. Portability, ability to connect to 3G and 4G networks, and the light weight of these devices are the major reasons for individuals increasingly opting for tablets. According to a Nielsen study less than one-third of tablet owners surveyed indicated that their desktop usage will be limited or not at all. This decreasing usage of desktop computers is encouraging computer hardware manufacturers to design and produce tablet computers. The countries covered in the global computer hardware market are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam. The regions covered in the global computer hardware market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The major players covered in the global computer hardware market are HP, Apple, IBM. The global computer hardware market is segmented - 1) By Type: Computer Peripheral Equipment, Computer Storage Devices And Servers, Computers 2) By End-User: Household, Commercial 3) By Distribution Channel: Online, Offline Subsegments Covered: Mouse, Keyboard, Monitor, Printer, Scanner, Computer Storage Devices, Computer Servers, PCs, Laptops, Tablets, Other Computers

The software products market consists of sales of software products by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that develop, market and distribute software products for commercial and personal use. Software products are usually sold in the form of licenses to use the software for a specified period or permanently. The license generally entitles the buyer to receive updates of the programs. Companies in this industry create and distribute computer software by designing software, providing documentation, assisting in installation and providing support services to software purchasers. Some businesses design, develop and publish; others only publish. The software products market is segmented into operating systems & productivity software publishing; database, storage & backup software publishing; business analytics & enterprise software; video game software; and design, editing & rendering software. The global software products market is expected to grow from $930.93 billion in 2020 to $968.25 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $1493.07 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 11%. Asia Pacific was the largest region in the global software products market, accounting for 41% of the market in 2020. North America was the second largest region accounting for 35% of the global market. Africa was the smallest region in the global software products market. IoT technology adoption by manufacturing and transportation services companies is expected to drive the software products market in the forecast period. IoT is a network of physical objects such as devices, vehicles, buildings and other items which are embedded with electronics, software, sensors and network connectivity enable these objects to collect and exchange data. For instance, Microsoft and Rolls-Royce have announced a partnership centering on future Rolls-Royce intelligent engines, which will integrate Microsoft Suite into its service solutions to expand its digital capabilities. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), global spending on IoT was around $800 billion in 2017 and is expected to rise up to $1.4 trillion by 2021; this includes hardware, software and services for IoT technologies. Thus, IoT technology adoption is expected to expand the demand for software products. The software products market is expected to be limited due to high competition in terms of pricing, product portfolio and other factors from market competitors and new entrants in the market, during the forecast period. Existing players in the market are offering wider range of products at competitive process to increase their customer base and boost revenues. A large number of start-up companies are also developing innovative products. As most of these start-ups are funded by venture capital companies, they have sufficient capital for research and development of new software products. Furthermore, the increase in competitors in the market is likely to result in price-wars. This would affect the sales of companies, resulting in lower revenues and profit margins. These price-wars further affect the funding available for research and development projects, this limits the launch of new products, thereby having a negative impact on the market growth. Top software vendors such as Oracle and SAP have been attempting to penetrate the middle market, to expand their client base and increase overall revenues. These companies have begun offering scaled-down, pre-configured versions of their applications. They are pursuing new distribution channels to sell and distribute their software products and are also acquiring mid-market software companies to increase their market shares and revenues. For example, SAP acquired Business One software to penetrate the middle market. The countries covered in the global software products market are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam. The regions covered in the global software products market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The major players covered in the global software products market are Microsoft, HP Inc, Oracle, Dell Technologies, IBM. The global software products market is segmented - 1) By Type: Operating Systems & Productivity Software Publishing, Database, Storage & Backup Software Publishing, Business Analytics & Enterprise Software, Video Game Software, Design, Editing & Rendering Software 2) By Application: Large Enterprises, Small And Medium Enterprises 3) By End-User Industry: BFSI, Media And Entertainment, IT and Telecommunications, Energy And Utilities, Government And Public Sector, Retail And Consumer Goods, Manufacturing, Others Subsegments Covered: Operating Systems, Productivity Software Publishing, Database Software, Middleware Software, Storage And Backup Software, ERP Software, BI Software, CRM Software, SCM Software, Other Software, Browser Games, PC Games, Smart Phone/Tablet Games, Console Games, Engineering Design Software, Animation And VFX Design Software, Image/Video Editing And Graphic Design Software

The computer peripheral equipment market consists of sales of computer peripheral equipment by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that provide computer peripheral equipment such as mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer and scanner that connect to a computer system to add functionality. The computer peripheral equipment market is segmented into mouse; keyboard; monitor; printer and scanner. The global computer peripheral equipment market is expected to grow from $459.03 billion in 2020 to $499.53 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $583.03 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 4%. North America was the largest region in the global computer peripheral equipment market, accounting for 56% of the market in 2020. Asia Pacific was the second largest region accounting for 23% of the global market. Africa was the smallest region in the global computer peripheral equipment market. Data volume generated from personal devices and various business operations in many industries is rapidly increasing; this is expected to drive the demand for storage devices during the forecast period. For instance, the total data generated worldwide is projected to reach 163 zettabytes (ZB) by 2025. In order to manage this rising data volume, the demand for storage devices from both corporate and individual customers is expected to drive the computer peripheral equipment market in the forecast period. The outbreak of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has acted as a massive restraint on the computer peripheral equipment market in 2020 as supply chains were disrupted due to trade restrictions and consumption declined due to lockdowns imposed by governments globally. COVID 19 is an infectious disease with flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing. The virus was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province of the People's Republic of China and spread globally including Western Europe, North America and Asia. Steps by national governments to contain the transmission have resulted in a decline in economic activity with countries entering a state of lockdown and the outbreak is expected to continue to have a negative impact on businesses throughout 2020 and into 2021. However, there has been an increased demand for laptops and related computer hardware as companies look to support their employees working from home. This demand is expected to negate some of the negative impact caused by the outbreak. It is expected that the computer peripheral equipment market will recover from the shock across the forecast period as it is a 'black swan' event and not related to ongoing or fundamental weaknesses in the market or the global economy. Portable folding keyboards are increasingly becoming popular due to small size and convenience it offers. These keyboards can be connected to devices such as phones, computers, and tablets and are the same size as a regular keyboard when unfolded. Portable folding keyboards are generally compatible with all major operating systems such as Windows, Android and iOS and can be charged using a USB port. Some of the portable folding keyboards include Microsoft's Universal Foldable Keyboard, iClever wireless folding keyboard, IKOS foldable keyboard. The countries covered in the global computer peripheral equipment market are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam. The regions covered in the global computer peripheral equipment market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The major players covered in the global computer peripheral equipment market are HP, IBM, Apple, Logitech, Epson. The global computer peripheral equipment market is segmented - 1) By Type: Mouse, Keyboard, Monitor, Printer, Scanner 2) By Connectivity: Wired, Wireless 3) By End-Use: Residential, Commercial

The computer storage devices and servers market consists of sales of computer storage devices and servers by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that provide computer storage devices and servers which are the core components of a computing device. They store almost all the data and applications on a computer except software permanently programmed on the hardware. This market includes sales of storage servers which are used to store, access, secure and manage digital data, files and services. The computer storage devices and servers market is segmented into computer storage devices and computer servers. The global computer storage devices and servers market is expected to grow from $72.45 billion in 2020 to $77 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $89.67 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 4%. Asia Pacific was the largest region in the global computer storage devices and servers market, accounting for 30% of the market in 2020. North America was the second largest region accounting for 26% of the global market. Africa was the smallest region in the global computer storage devices and servers market. Data volume generated from personal devices and various business operations in many industries is rapidly increasing; this is expected to drive the demand for storage devices during the forecast period. For instance, the total data generated worldwide is projected to reach 163 zettabytes (ZB) by 2025. In order to manage this rising data volume, the demand for storage devices from both corporate and individual customers is expected to drive the computer storage devices and servers market in the forecast period. Network-connected storage (NAS) devices such as RAID (Redundant array of independent disks) based NAS and cloud based NAS are susceptible to hacking, malware and other virus attacks. The increase in data availability and accessibility also increases vulnerability to malicious threats and attacks. An attack on network-attached storage can cause loss of intellectual property, business continuity and customer confidence. It can also huge revenue loss to companies depending on the severity of the network attack. Therefore, vulnerable network connected storage device hamper the growth of the computer storage devices and servers market. The demand for solid state drives is growing rapidly as it offers higher space and speed than traditional hard disks. A solid state drive is a non-volatile storage media that stores data on solid-state flash memory and offers high speed data read and write operations for both sequential and random data requests. Unlike a hard disk drive, SSD’s do not have moving parts and are lightweight and small in size. Solid state drives find applications in laptops, personal computers, enterprise storage hardware, smart phones, tablets and many others. According to the International Data Corporation, the market for solid state drives is expected to reach $33.6 billion by 2021 at a CAGR of 14.8%. The countries covered in the global computer storage devices and servers market are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam. The regions covered in the global computer storage devices and servers market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The major players covered in the global computer storage devices and servers market are IBM, Western Digital Corporation, Kingston Technology Company Inc, Seagate Technology, Toshiba. The global computer storage devices and servers market is segmented - 1) By Type: Computer Storage Devices, Computer Servers 2) By Application: Mainframes, Desktop, Laptop Computers, Tablets, Smartphones 3) By End-Use: Residential, Commercial

The computers market consists of sales of computers by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that provide computers which are programmable electronic devices designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations. The computers market is segmented into PCs; laptops; tablets and other computers. The global computers market is expected to grow from $331.45 billion in 2020 to $367.56 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.9%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $505.45 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 8%. Asia Pacific was the largest region in the global computers market, accounting for 37% of the market in 2020. North America was the second largest region accounting for 28% of the global market. Africa was the smallest region in the global computers market. The computer market is expected to be aided by rapid growth in investments in smart city projects in many countries globally. Smart city technologies use information and communication technologies to efficiently manage and operate urban services including transportation systems, water supply and law and order. These technologies are enabled through IoT technology. IoT is a convergence of computing devices, mechanical and digital objects. This system facilitates the transfer of data over a network without human interaction and minimal human to computer interaction. Smart cities use computers and related hardware, thereby benefitting the companies operating in this market. In 2018, APG Algemene Pensioen Groep N.V. announced investment of €250 million in the “Smart City Infrastructure Fund” for development of smart city projects across North America, Europe, Australia and other major urban areas in the world. The concept of smart cities is becoming more popular in developing nations too. For instance, more than 1,000 smart city pilot projects are either ready for or are under construction globally and around 500 of these projects are in China. Interest rates are expected to increase in developed nations, particularly the USA and Europe, between 2018 and 2022, making it harder and more expensive for companies manufacturing computers. The computer market is characterized as requiring fair amount of capital funds to operate, renovate, innovate and expand business. Therefore, changes in the economy such as changes in interest rates are expected to greatly affect the profit margins, cost structures and expansion strategies of the companies in the cloud services market. For instance, the USA Federal Reserve is expected to increase interest rates in 2021. This will in turn hinder the operation and expansion of businesses in the cloud services market. The Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging as the next big trend in the computers market with the ability to create an impact across the business spectrum. The Internet of Things merged the physical and online worlds to open up to a host of opportunities for companies, governments and consumers. IoT is a complex ecosystem with multiple players such as device vendors, communication service providers, software vendors and IT service providers. For example, the August Smart Lock uses an IoT platform to automatically lock and unlock the front door of a user’s residence, and can also remotely grant access to guests, friends or staff. The countries covered in the global computers market are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam. The regions covered in the global computers market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The major players covered in the global computers market are HP, Apple, Advantech, Eurotech, Kontron. The global computers market is segmented - 1) By Type: PCs, Laptops, Tablets, Other Computers 2) By Application: Household, Commercial

The communications hardware market consists of sales of communications hardware by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that provide telephone apparatus, and broadcasting and wireless communications hardware. It includes sales of wired and wireless communication hardware equipment. Examples of telephone apparatus hardware are central office switching equipment, cordless telephones (except cellular), PBX equipment, telephones, telephone answering machines, local area network (LAN) modems, multi-user modems and other data communications equipment, such as bridges, routers and gateways. Examples of broadcasting and wireless communications hardware include transmitting and receiving antennas, cable television equipment, Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment, pagers, cellular phones, mobile communications equipment, and radio and television studio broadcasting equipment. The communications hardware market is segmented into general communication equipment; broadcast communications equipment and telecom infrastructure equipment. The global communications hardware market is expected to grow from $625.11 billion in 2020 to $666.53 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $900.88 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 8%. Asia Pacific was the largest region in the global communications hardware market, accounting for 32% of the market in 2020. Western Europe was the second largest region accounting for 29% of the global market. Middle East was the smallest region in the global communications hardware market. The communications hardware market is expected to be aided by rapid growth in investments in smart city projects in many countries globally. Smart city technologies use information and communication technologies to efficiently manage and operate urban services including transportation systems, water supply and law and order. These technologies are enabled through IoT technology. IoT is a convergence of computing devices, mechanical and digital objects. This system facilitates the transfer of data over a network without human interaction and minimal human to computer interaction. Smart cities are integrated with communication equipment, thereby benefitting the companies operating in this market. In 2018, APG Algemene Pensioen Groep N.V. announced investment of €250 million in “Smart City Infrastructure Fund”, for development of smart city projects across North America, Europe, Australia and other major urban areas in the world. The concept of smart cities is becoming more popular in developing nations too. For instance, more than 1,000 smart city pilot projects are either ready for or are under construction globally and around 500 of these projects are in China. The communications hardware industry is increasingly targeted by hackers, so exposing various security issues. For instance, according to Avast 2019 Smart Home Security Report, 40.8% of all smart homes have at least one vulnerable connected device and 59.7% of household routers worldwide are vulnerable. Hackers disrupt, intercept or deny communications. Despite various measures taken by the companies, telecommunications hardware is still vulnerable to data thefts. Due to the extreme cases of surveillance, the U.S and Indian government banned the Huawei Company. Hence, these security issues hindered the growth of the communications hardware industry during the historic period. Rapid increase in energy consumption has been a major threat to environmental protection and sustainable development, thus driving the development of green technologies. For instance, communications hardware accounts for about 2%-4% of the total global carbon emissions. Due to access to the high-speed internet provided by next-generation wireless networks and increased smartphone usage, data traffic has increased significantly. This has triggered a significant expansion of network infrastructures and increased the energy demands. Environment friendly batteries, renewable energy sources, and intelligent management of the power systems are being developed to reduce carbon emissions. The countries covered in the global communications hardware market are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam. The regions covered in the global communications hardware market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The major players covered in the global communications hardware market are Apple, Samsung, Cisco Systems, Huawei Technologies, Ericsson. The global communications hardware market is segmented - 1) By Type: General Communication Equipment, Broadcast Communications Equipment, Telecom Infrastructure Equipment 2) By Application: Military Use, Civil Use Subsegments Covered: Alarm Systems And Equipment, Fire Detection Equipment, Smoke Detectors, Intercoms Systems And Equipment, Traffic Signals, Other General Communication Equipment, Pagers, Transmitting Antennas, GPS Equipment, Cellular Telephone, Other Broadcast Communications Equipment, Switching Equipment, Bridges, Gateways And Routers, Other Telecom Infrastructure Equipment