10 Tech Trends You Can Expect to see in the near Future
We know that it already feels like we are living in a sci-fi fantasy, but wait, there's more to come. Technology is becoming faster, more intuitive and more immersive, and as it is changing, it also changes the way we are living. There is no shortage of predictions where technology is headed in the near future, we can expect to be surrounded by virtual reality, watch the kids play with a personalized robot, or perhaps watch a professional gamer in a stadium. All of this is just the tip of the iceberg. Let's see what the biggest tech trends are, and we can expect to see in the near future.
Virtual Reality
Any time now sitting in front of your smart TV and watching videos will feel like you are writing on a typewriter. Virtual reality is something that isn't just reserved for games; it can take you everywhere and enable you to experience anything. Virtual reality headsets by major tech companies like Oculus, Sony, HTC and Samsung are expected to come out by the end of the year. The prices for this technology are already falling, as the use of the devices is expanding beyond the gaming industry. VR will also be used for scientific studies, immersive learning and virtual tourism.
Wearable Technology
Wearable technology has not received a lot of love so far, but in the future it is expected to become more common in every aspect of our lives. It can become a part of your workplace, especially for jobs where people are not working at desks. We are expecting that wearables will get more appealing and useful and to have more unique features. Since consumers are increasingly surrounding themselves with devices, there is a wealth of data to the companies who can harvest it.
Companies that are smart will find a way to use this gold mine of information to predict what their users want. Apple will introduce the second-generation of their Apple Watch, which will offer more utility in communication and health features. It has been predicted that wearable glasses will be the first thing that will be adopted in the workplace.
For instance, surgeons and other medical professionals who are working in a sterile environment will have amazing benefits from a device that will be attached to their arm and allow them hands-free communication.
Talking Screens and Less Cords
Since we are spending most of our time looking at our screens, major companies are looking for new ways to improve the communication between devices. This trend is called cross-platform integration, and some of the best mobile device management software are now enabling for all devices to communicate from different platforms.
This is why Microsoft is placing Windows 10 in different devices, tablets are converting into laptops, laptops are converting into tablets, and smartphones will turn monitors into PC's, and even some gaming consoles are powered by Windows 10. Google and Apple are following this trend and are building laptop and tablet hybrids that can run on mobile operating systems. They are trying to make it more functional for both play and work.
The movement of getting rid of expensive TV subscriptions has gained a new level, and some premium networks offered their standalone streaming services. They are offering watching live TV over the internet and some of the cable networks will let you stream live TV without cable boxes, and not to mention that Netflix has a lot of amazing content. Cord-cutting is getting bigger in the future, and Apple TV has its own App Store from which you can stream media content.
Cleaner and Smarter Cars
In the previous year, many car makers have decided to invest in transportation that will be automated and electric, which is promising to make driving safer for humans and the planet. In this year they are already laying the foundation for this future. Tesla, the largest manufacturer of driverless and electric cars in the world, continues its work in their factory in Nevada after they had unveiled their first all-electric car, Model 3, which costs $35.000. GM will also production their Bolt EV for the price of $30.000. The future will be exciting for cars and the technological seed has already been planted this year.
Social Robots
We, as human beings, are fundamentally social; we want to share how our day is going, laugh and share happiness with others, and want some encouragement when we are feeling down. We are always in need of someone who will pay attention to our own personal behaviors and like us for them. We want to feel validated and be acknowledged and appreciated for the person that we have become.
Wouldn't it be nice to get all of this, but without the drama that may come with having a partner? What if we can really have a perfect companionship but without the expense of personal commitment and time that most humans need?
This is where social robots come in. These machines can interact with humans, get to know them and even improve some of their behaviors by giving clues. The Japanese robot company called Softbank released in the previous year their first generation of social robots, Pepper, and all of them were sold out in the first minute. The company is planning to release another 1.000 Peppers and other companies will begin the production of social robots in the near future.
5G Cellphones
The majority of smartphones are currently operating on the 3G or 4G network, but all eyes are currently on the next generation, called 5G. Once these cellphones become standard, we can expect 100 times faster network than the current 4G networks. Ericsson and Huawei will be testing it in the Netherlands, while Softbank and Ericsson have already begun trials of 5G technologies in Tokyo. Even though tech companies have their focus on 5G network, consumers will have to wait until they can get their hands on a 5G network.
Video Gaming With Cloud-Based Power
The games that are the most powerful will rely on a combination of a cloud-based power and console. Games that are immersive and powerful will still need the data provided by a console and that will not change in the near future, because it is too early for the market to completely switch over to cloud-based games.
Hardcore gamers love to have their data center close to them, because the trigger response times for fighting games will not be fast enough in the cloud-based games. The gaming industry is waiting for the next generation gaming system, like the release of the Nintendo NX.
Apart from just the servers, online gaming will see new strategies developed. For example, Roulette Geeks is also a growing gaming platform for online roulette and the strategic simulator it has can be used to analyze the chances of winning the bet.
Everything in the future will get automated for better stratification.
Watching a Professional Gamer In an Arena
The newest hot form of entertainment is to watch video-game stars play video games, yes we are serious. Hordes of fans will be packing big arenas that are capable of filling concerts to watch a super-sized screen on which they will see videogame professionals play games, with some serious money on the line for the winners. The prize of $100.000 was given at Gfinity eSports championship in London in the past year.
In the near future we can expect to see professional video game events that will make money by selling premium access to online streaming of those events.
More Demand for Bitcoin Technology
While Bitcoin technology has had its ups and downs in the market of consumers, many financial institutions are still invested in it and are looking for new ways to use it with different transactions. They are calling it blockchain technology, which is a record of events or a digital ledger. This technology makes it ideal to transfer money across international borders, and this has awakened the interest of financial institutions. This is a quicker and more secure form of banking and we will see significant momentum in this area in the near future.
More Methods for Data Protection
Every time a new home device becomes connected to the Internet, there is a wearable device that tracks more movements, social network that encourages us to post our feeling and pictures online, and all of that creates more and more data. That means parallel security measures need to start expanding in both sophistication and size. Software security technologies will now have to depend on identifying abnormalities in the behavior of the network, instead of just identifying a destructive code in the software.
These are the ten tech trends that you can expect to see in the near future. Some of them are already on a good path, and some require more time, but the one thing we know for sure is that technology will be improved in a way that will help us live better, easier and higher quality lives.