TAIPEI/BANGKOK -- Taiwanese and other Northeast Asian information technology companies, particularly consumer device manufacturers, are under pressure to create new growth engines amid a shrinking PC market and slowing growth in the smartphone market.
A pressing question is whether they can find a "next big thing" to fit into their existing manufacturing model that emphasizes low costs through economies of scale. At this year's Computex Taipei, Asia's largest information and communications technology trade show, held in the first week of June, many of these companies appeared to be leaning toward placing their bets on the "Internet of Things" -- or bringing Internet connectivity to a broad range of products, from home appliances to cars.
