Connected Consumer 2012: A year of consolidation and integration

1. Summary

Call it the year of lessons learned, if not quite bubbles burst. In 2011, several trends in the connected consumer space that appeared inexorable at the start of the year seemed disorganized by the end. What does that mean for the next 12 months? From cloud-based media storage to daily deals to the fight for the digital living room, 2012 will be a year of consolidation and integration. Both entrepreneurs and investors will figure out that many once-promising standalone business models need to be grounded on more solid, integrated platforms to create real value.

Companies mentioned in this report include Amazon, Apple, Comcast, Facebook, Flingo, Google, Groupon, Hulu LivingSocial, Microsoft, Netflix, Nielsen, PayPal, Shazam, Technicolor, Verizon, Warner Music and Zynga.