Infosys, while looking at global drivers, concentrates on seven themes and three of them revolve around semiconductors. These concern the digital consumer, mobile commerce and pervasive computing.
While addressing a session of the ISA Vision Summit in Bangalore, Mr S.D. Shibulal, Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Board, Infosys Technologies, said semiconductors play an important role in everything we do. “I wake up to an alarm powered by semiconductors; I browse the web on an iPad, and listen to music on devices powered by semiconductors.”
Mr Shibulal said every aspect of our lives, including healthcare and banking, are affected by semiconductors. “It influences every single aspect of our life today.” In healthcare, he felt that semiconductors could bridge the divide between urban and rural India. Terming India as a “country of contradictions”, Mr Shibulal said the usual ‘bigger-faster-smarter' concept in India should be replaced by ‘leaner-cheaper-durable'.
“We have 730 million mobiles, but only 11 million broadband connections. We have 400 million people below the poverty line, and a total of around 500 million people have no access to banking services.” He said the semiconductor industry should innovate and create products that are relevant to these markets.