Dec 31, 2015

Video surveillance is one of the most significant technological innovations in security monitoring to date. Like any technology, it continues to evolve each year, and 2016 will be no exception. New market trends, increased adoption in certain parts of the world, new potential use cases and an increased focus on wireless technology will represent some of the key developments in the video surveillance space in the year ahead. 

Now that 2015 is a memory, let's take a closer look at some the video surveillance trends that will likely continue through 2016.

Rapid video surveillance adoption will continue in the Middle East

One of the most rapidly expanding markets for video surveillance is the Middle East, which is projected to achieve a market value of $1.8 billion by 2021, according to a recent report from 6W Research. Much of this growth will be generated by oil-wealthy countries in the region, especially within the construction sector in these places.

Video surveillance plays an especially important role in ensuring that construction sites are properly secured and maintained. Saudi Arabia, for example, is currently preparing to build a 1-kilometer high skyscraper – making it tallest building in the world. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates will soon have its hands full with infrastructure projects of its own, as it prepares to host the World Expo in 2020. 

Other catalysts for video surveillance growth in the region include a push to improve security monitoring. According to the aforementioned study, this is in response to growing crime rates and concerns about terrorist threats in the region. Combined, these factors will very likely foster healthy growth of the video surveillance market through 2016. 

Transportation verticals will dominate the market

Another significant market trend in the world of video surveillance is its use in transportation verticals. A recent report from Axis Minds Research forecasts that the transportation sector will account for nearly 35 percent of the video surveillance market share by 2019. This isn't surprising, given video surveillance's usefulness to transportation of all forms. Large hubs such as airports and train stations rely on transportation for security purposes – for example, helping to find missing people, and identifying potential crime-related threats in real time. 

In-transit vessels such as trains, subways and busses can also benefit from video surveillance. This is especially true when surveillance solutions leverage mesh networks. The strategic deployment of mesh nodes makes it possible for network traffic to be rerouted as needed so that surveillance systems stay up and running. This means that as in-motion vehicles continually change their position, the network adjusts to ensure that cameras stay connected and security monitoring remains constant. 

With benefits such as these, it's hardly surprising that transportation verticals will continue to represent such as significant chunk of the video surveillance market share in 2016, and beyond. 

Wireless technology will fuel global growth

Mesh topology is hardly the only innovation fueling growth in the video surveillance market. As wireless technology continues to improve, worldwide adoption of IP cameras is expected to skyrocket. In fact, TechNavio predicted that the global video surveillance market will probably experience a compound annual growth rate of more than 22 percent, principally in response to wireless surveillance solutions.

Strong wireless network infrastructure is ultimately what ensures reliability of IP cameras. As a result, wireless surveillance is likely to see increased adoption by a variety of industries. For example, law enforcement and municipal services can more quickly and easily deploy wireless video surveillance in sprawling areas. The same applies for temporary construction projects, which can add and subtract new cameras on an as-needed basis without the hassle of hard-wiring them. These are only a few examples of how wireless surveillance serves public safety and industries in the private sector.

In summary, 2016 will probably be a big year for growth in the video surveillance space, largely driven by innovations such as mesh networks and wireless technology, but also by the ongoing service reliable surveillance solutions provide for public safety, transportation and a variety of other industries and verticals.