By singling out physical retail as a key growth sector for IoT and 5G, Qualcomm is hardly stopping the front page, but is merely following many peers and competitors. Of greater interest is the plan Qualcomm has to stimulate and exploit latent demand from retailers for technological assistance for recovery from what for many has been a dire period over the Covid-19 pandemic. The period has taken a heavy toll on the physical retail sector, with a good number going to the wall as a result, while many that have survived are short of cash for investment in new technologies that could make up lost ground. However, there is an opportunity for survivors to capitalize on the consolidation if they…