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Now that the 2010s are over and we find ourselves in the 2020s, it seems a good time to ask what the future looks like for channel businesses in the coming year. What are the big opportunities for those companies in 2020 and what are the main threats they are likely to face? In those circumstances, what types of channel businesses will prosper and what kinds will struggle? And just how big a role will distribution play over the next 12 months? The good news is that the outlook for the channel appears pretty bullish. “There are almost too many opportunities to mention and channel companies have never been busier,” says Westcoast managing director Alex Tatham. He highlights supporting businesses with their migration from Windows 7 to Windows 10 as a major preoccupation for partners this year, although this will be affected by Intel shortages, which Tatham predicts “will become more acute”. Leigh Schvartz, head of product innovation strategy at Fujitsu UK, agrees that the channel will capitalise on the end of support for Windows 7,...