Page 35 - 2019 Annual Report Hsinchu Science Park

Chapter 4 │ Talent Hub 33
5G to help accelerate integration of cloud and end-user applications
A global frontrunner in the ICT industry/ MiTAC Holdings Corp.
President Billy Ho
For more than three decades since its inception in 1982, MiTAC Holdings Corp. has taken root in Taiwan for developing various computing systems, delivering customized solutions, and offering indigenous servers to help clients streamline their own design processes. Backed by its own brand name Mio, MiTAC has acquired such foreign businesses as Navman and Magellan to consolidate its standing in the global automotive navigation market and move up another rung in its development of computer vision technology. It is now indisputably recognized as a global leader in the ICT sector.
Draw on 5G, AI prowess to develop IoV applications
When asked about the impact of 5G technology and AI development on the electronics industry and electronics products, President Ho says: “The strengths of 5G—high bandwidth and low latency—are set to greatly enrich applications and change the entire industrial ecosystem.” The impact brought about by these emerging technologies will not be confined to the development of products and applications; businesses may even see changes to internal management and working conditions.
The ongoing development of 5G promises to bridge the gap between cloud and end users. Thanks to 5G’s high bandwidth and low latency, edge computing will broaden and deepen the applications of terminal devices. In addition to smart phones, edge computing is also being applied to the automotive industry. Advances in communications technology will help build V2V and V2X platforms and usher in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), thereby giving impetus to a new wealth of IoV applications.
With a product mix ranging from servers to terminals, MiTAC has long been committed to the integration of cloud and end-user applications, which in turn makes its greatest strength. In the days ahead, the company
is ready to persist with the development of IoV systems and explore ways to expand to such emerging areas as smart retailing and smart healthcare.
Bolster global presence, pursue coopetition to create opportunities
As the U.S.-China trade dispute centers on the manufacturing front, higher tariffs have indeed dealt a blow to the affected industries. MiTAC, however, enjoys considerable flexibility in allocating its production capacity among plants in Europe, the U.S., and India set up under a global deployment strategy initiated in the 1990s.
The trade dispute with the U.S. has prompted mainland China’s government and businesses to accelerate development of self-sufficient platforms and ecosystems. Against this backdrop, massive domestic demand will certainly give China a powerful say in setting related industry standards. “Businesses always compete with one another; every country, China included, must have its own problems to deal with,” President Ho says. “What matters is how to draw on one’s technology and might accumulated over time to secure a say. A new niche will surely present itself if one can attract rivals with unique strengths and thus transform competition into cooperation.”
Beyond mainland China, MiTAC regards India as another market that holds great promise. India has a population comparable to mainland China’s and thus an abundant supply of labor. Above all, Indian talent has long been a favorite of global businesses. For MiTAC, India’s growth potential certainly warrants high hope. In a similar vein, MiTAC’s longtime focus on niche markets means that its global deployment strategy will justify an early entry into other emerging markets to fully take advantage of their robust growth going forward.