Bangalore, July 13: The World-Wide Web is expected to grow to over 300 million users by the year 2002 while web commerce will top $ 333 billion in the same period. This is compared to 82 million users in 1997 and a web commerce of $ 8 billion. By the year 2002 the ability to do business online will become a necessity and not a novelty, said Pradeep Gupta, the managing director of Cyber Media (India) Ltd.Software exports from India are expected to touch Rs 15,600 crore by the year 2000 against Rs 6,500 crore recorded in the last fiscal. Of the Rs 6,500 crore exports, professional services accounted for 47 per cent, products and packages - 11 per cent, consultancy and training - 27 per cent, data processing - 11 per cent and others - 4 per cent.
Speaking at a seminar on `directions-99' organised by IDC (India) Ltd in Bangalore on Monday, he said that the web will become a critically important location for businesses selling to consumers. The consumers wants and needs will reshape major segments of ITmarket, notably PCs and semi-conductors. The key technologies that will shape the web marketplace by the year 2002 would be digital certification, thin software, web sound and language translation.
Addressing the session on the hardware market, Stacy Plemmons, vice-president, Hewlett Packard (India) Ltd, said the major inhibitors in the PC market are GDP slowdown, sluggish exports, stagnant domestic segment, political uncertainty, inflation and devaluation of beyond Rs 45 per USD and sanctions. On the flip side the growth areas would be buoyant home and small businesses, more govt spending in infrastructure, space, atomic and defence sectors and the Internet boom due to private ISPs.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
