The pandemic massively affected all the industries around the world and ICT has not been any different. Governments around the world are now focusing more on restoring economic balance by issuing relaxations and enacting laws to aid in the fight against the pandemic's aftermath. During these times, the industry experienced a dynamic shift, with some technologies finding new applications and on a rapid upward tangent and others reaching an all-time low. COVID's impact is hastening the digital connectivity trend and will have an impact on the growth of the information technology market shortly.

Over-the-top (OTT) services market was one of the technologies that gained traction. Other rising technical accessories are Artificial intelligence (AI), video streaming platforms, team collaboration software, mobile security technology, video on demand (VoD) market, the cloud gaming market, and others. Multiple sectors also witness a drop such as the industry 4.0 market, wireless sensors market, robotic process automation market, radar sensor market, and others.

Other modern-era technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have been strong weapons against fighting the coronavirus. They have helped in the early detection and diagnosis of disease, mitigating the economic risk of economic crisis, and analyzing the data. Big players have started investing in these technologies to promote smart living and smart infrastructure. Efforts are being made to promote online platforms.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, digital technology, transformation and connectivity had been our solutions to enhance economic and societal resilience. The utilization of ever-evolving technologies such as machine learning, 3D printing, the Internet of Things, and robotics witnessed an increased adaption. Most of the countries used AI and machine learning to track the real-time covid cases whereas 3D printing was used for the production of medical accessories.

Digital spending was reduced around the globe due to uncertainties caused. While e-commerce witnessed a rise owing to people’s wish to avoid the market. Along with that Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) also increased as more and more people started adopting platforms such as Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp, and Hangouts due to lockdowns and the need for social distancing. Cloud service also increased with the rise in work from a home model of businesses and the increase in content demand. Gaming culture around the world also increased as people were staying home and thus gaming industry increased.

Other sectors that witnessed growth were e-learning and online education. Almost all education institutions had to shift to the online mode of education which led to a surge in the use of an application such as google classrooms and Microsoft Teams. With so much time at hand, many people also made attempts to upskill themselves. Many new start-ups came up offering new skills and tutoring courses. Governments around the world have also been making attempts to shift to e-governance mode due to obvious reasons.        

The media industry has also played a crucial role since the beginning of the pandemic, by being a medium of correct and responsible health information to reach the general public with search engines and social media platforms. Circumstances also forced Communication Service Providers (CSP) along with Mobile Network Operators (MNO) to work extra hard and reach more remote places as this was a golden period for them to increase their customer base and meet the challenges of changing world. While the need for Wifi has also seen an uprise.

In conclusion, there are multiple changes ICT and media sector has witnessed since the start of the pandemic. While it has been a cause of concern for a few, others have rejoiced with the opportunity it brought to them.