Lenovo recently held its annual global innovation event, Tech World, sharing its vision for the evolution of collaboration across users, spaces, and devices to unlock unlimited possibilities in both real-world applications and the Metaverse. Lenovo unveiled new concepts, solutions, and emerging innovations that will define the way we work, learn, and engage in the digital world. The company also announced its vision for net-zero emissions, honing in on a credible and collaborative blueprint to address one of humanity’s greatest challenges.
Lenovo unveiled innovations including the first public showing of rollable proof of concepts for smartphones and laptop PCs. Infusing computing into rollable screens provides productivity, entertainment, and connectivity on a dynamic, adjustable, and larger screen, but on smaller device – addressing customer pain points and improving hybrid working productivity.
Also unveiled was the compelling interactive and physical holographic solution for immersive telepresence communication and teamwork, called Cyber Spaces. As data proliferation continues, Lenovo also showcased how its innovations, empowered by AI with edge computing, are enabling faster data processing at the source of its creation, transforming city streets, precision medicine, and shopping markets.
“Technology is transforming our future workspace and living space into a combination of virtual and physical worlds, enabled by the power of new IT infrastructure which is prevalent, expected and on demand,” said Lenovo Chairman and CEO, Yuanqing Yang. “The power of innovation is not only digitalizing and smartifying all industries but also helping solve humanity’s greatest challenges. For that purpose, Lenovo is doubling our investment in R&D to use smarter technology to empower a rapidly changing world.”
At Tech World ‘22, Lenovo unveiled:
Rollable Form Factor Innovations
- Lenovo and Motorola unveiled rollable proof of concepts for smartphones and laptop PCs, ushering in a new potential era where this unique form factor enables more content and offers huge possibilities for the future to improve hybrid work and life. Designed to elevate multi-tasking, browsing, and mobile use cases, the new rollable proof of concepts are compact, yet don’t sacrifice screen size – enabling content on screen to be dynamically adjusted to the device as the expandable screen rolls inward into the base of the laptop, and smartphone.
Innovations for Productivity
- Lenovo Freestyle app enables universal control and collaboration between a tablet and PC, allowing users to seamlessly pair and transform their tablet into a portable second screen to extend desktop space or a wireless touchscreen for their laptop.
- Motorola edge smartphones include Ready For Platform, which extends smartphone capabilities to bigger screens and allows for a mobile desktop experience, console-like gaming, content streaming and video chats
- Lenovo revealed its Remote Work Enablement solution, which delivers hardware, software, and premium services straight to employees, and allows remote workers to get set up quickly.
- Lenovo also presented a future concept called Cyber Spaces, which replicate an immersive face-to-face experience by providing an interactive, physical holographic solution for telepresence communication and teamwork.
- Additionally, the event saw new advancements in “virtual personas” or “digital humans,” to address challenges posed by traditional video conferencing, including bandwidth, quality, and privacy.
AI Solutions
- Lenovo showcased its Production Decision Engine, which uses AI and big data to address digitalization pain points. Its Supplier 360 identifies, analyzes and mitigates supply chain risks to help plan for ‘what if’ scenarios.
- The company also presented its Smart Services solution, which forecasts repair needs and optimizes the network of parts, service engineers and logistics support.
- Lenovo demonstrated how its Virtual Classroom solution offers virtual teachers to students, providing personalized tests and recommendations.
- The new remote video collaboration solution connects frontline workers with remote experts to perform repair jobs through real time marks.
Vision for Net-Zero by 2050
- Lenovo shared its vision for net-zero emissions, and its first step toward that vision with near-term 2030 emissions reduction goals. Lenovo is aligning its emissions reduction goals to the Science Based Targets initiative in both the near and long-term to contribute to the goals of the Paris Agreement.
- Lenovo highlighted the innovations that will help it realize its vision for net-zero, and the actions the company is taking across products and manufacturing to lower its carbon footprint.
- Guest experts clarified the need for credible standards and collaboration between public and private entities in order to make progress toward a smarter, more sustainable future while clarifying the meaning and importance of net-zero commitments.
Edge and AI technologies Enabling Next-gen Data Processing
- Lenovo and VMware announced an MOU for joint Edge and Cloud Innovation Labs, with plans underway to develop co-engineered edge, AI and multi-cloud solutions that will help accelerate business transformation across manufacturing and retail environments.
- Lenovo showcased its ThinkEdge series of servers – including SE350 and SE450 – to show how the servers perform well under extreme conditions, with top-performance GPUs to support heavy AI .
- Lenovo also presented XClarity, a unified, open cloud software management platform that simplifies IT orchestration, deployment, automation, metering, and support from edge to cloud. The company also showcased its Edge Cloud Platform, which enables various applications across vertical industries as well as its Hybrid Cloud Solution, which covers the full lifecycle of building, migrating, using and managing hybrid cloud.
- Additionally, TruScale, an all-inclusive, subscription-based model, has expanded to more customers.
Lenovo also unveiled the findings of its global multi-industry research study of 500 chief technology officers (CTOs). The study uncovered CTO’s viewpoints on how traditional IT will continue to evolve into a ‘New IT’ architecture where client devices, edge computing, cloud computing, network and AI all work together to address common pain points and provide solutions that drive further global digitalization across all industries.
Tech World ‘22 coincides with Lenovo’s global Think30 celebration, honoring 30 years of ThinkPad’s and ThinkSystem’s purposeful design and engineering innovation. Building on this legacy, the company unveiled the broadest enterprise portfolio enhancement in its history, designed to accelerate global IT modernization with the new Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions V3, and celebrated over 200 million ThinkPad devices sold. Lenovo continues to redefine device innovations, including with the recent launch of the new ThinkPad X1 Fold, the next generation of the world’s first foldable PC.
Lenovo Chairman and CEO, Yuanqing Yang delivered the Tech World ‘22 keynote speech and shared insight into how Lenovo’s smarter technology is empowering people everywhere to change their world for the better.
In the keynote, Yang was joined by Lenovo business leaders and leading global CEOs, including Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm; Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel; Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture; as well as Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, and Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM. Customers and partners including Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO from Formula 1® and Panos Panay, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer from Microsoft also discussed the role of Lenovo’s smarter technology in empowering intelligent transformation.
Dr Yong Rui, Lenovo’s Chief Technology Officer, discussed how Lenovo will develop Metaverse tech solutions to empower intelligent transformation. He highlighted how Lenovo’s core technology and innovations across devices, servers, software, and solutions will connect the virtual and physical worlds.
During the main keynote session, Luca Rossi, President of Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group, presented new future concepts. From consumer innovations that improve life to productivity and collaboration solutions, new form factors like the rollable laptop PC and smartphone proof of concepts, and even emerging AI and Metaverse solutions like the new Lenovo ThinkReality VRX virtual reality solution will empower future generations as they navigate the digital transformation of our evolving world.
Kirk Skaugen, President of Lenovo’s Infrastructure Solutions Group, presented the evolution of computing everywhere. Kirk discussed the need to immediately harness data across all industries to intelligently transform. Lenovo’s smarter infrastructure is enabling this transformation, via servers, storage, and services. Kirk was joined by leaders from VMware and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center as he showcased how Lenovo is leading AI at the edge to help customers harness the power of the global data growth (expected to double by 2025) happening across today’s changing IT landscape.
Ken Wong, Executive Vice President and President of Lenovo’s Solutions & Services Group, discussed how the role of a CIO has expanded as the world digitizes. Ken also highlighted the value of industrial Metaverse solutions, the importance of digital workspace solutions and how optimizing track management for engineers can improve infrastructure such as public transportation, in real time. Claudia Contreras, Executive Director of Lenovo’s Global Sustainability Services also highlights that Lenovo’s services can help customers work toward their own sustainability goals, no matter where they are in their journey.
Laura Quatela, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Lenovo highlighted the ways Lenovo is working toward enhanced sustainability across its product offerings on its journey to net-zero. In addition to sustainable product innovations, Laura shares sustainable improvements Lenovo is making to lead the way in low-emissions manufacturing, as well as Lenovo’s intentions to share and report its progress for a credible, collaborative approach to emissions reduction. These sustainability efforts were bolstered by Yang’s closing announcement of Lenovo’s commitment to a vision for net-zero by 2050.
