The technology world is a fast-paced industry that’s ever evolving and expanding. If you work in tech or follow the trends, you know just how quickly things can change. As soon as someone updates a product the rest of the community is clamoring to add it to their interface. When a new product is introduced to the market the race to incorporate it is even more competitive. To keep up with the swift-moving nature of tech, you have to stay on top of trends and know what to look out for. To help you do that, here’s a list of some of the anticipated innovations of 2021.
Remote Work
Working from home and holding video or phone conference calls is becoming more and more popular these days. Whether you’re an IT professional answering the question “what is IOT” or an assistant dialing into a conference call to take minutes, you’ve probably worked through the internet at some point in your career this past year. To keep up with this rising trend, companies are starting to expand their virtual services to better serve businesses. For example, companies like Zoom broke onto the scene last year, and the use of things such as Google Meets, WebEx, and Bluejeans increased. Now there are tons of startups trying to get on the action, so keep an eye out for a plethora of new and improved services to help with remote working situations.
Telehealth Options
As the industry gets better at creating reliable and confidential video chat options, the popularity of telemedicine will also continue to rise. A fairly new concept, telemedicine allows patients to have a doctor’s visit using a video conference instead of having to go into the office. It can save time for both parties, as well as save money if your insurance plan includes telehealth benefits. If you work for or own a company in the health industry, keep your eyes peeled for new developments in this area. You might just want to add fresh services to your business.
Artificial Intelligence
Society may not have made it to flying cars, but tech giants have reached self-driving cars. This is only one of the many forms of artificial intelligence that are going to start flooding the marketplace before too long. Systems and programs are continually being developed to automate every day and business processes to speed things up and make life simpler for people. Things like GPS and automated databases are two examples of AI we use today that are constantly being updated and improved.
Going forward, it looks like businesses will be able to use artificial intelligence in a more analytical way than ever before. They’ll be able to break down customers’ spending habits, preferences, and what they view online or on social media. This can help them target certain audiences or products and hopefully drive profits. Artificial intelligence is expected to become an almost $200 billion dollar industry in the next few years, so watch it closely.
Robots and Drones
In addition to self-driving cars, robots and drones are on the rise. The medical field in particular has been utilizing robots more than ever before as huge technological advances are made in the capability and precision of robot helpers. Many surgeries are now performed by robot arms, such as some heart surgeries and joint replacements. They’re also showing up in assisted living facilities as health aids, communication devices, and alternative companionship. Other industries have been relying more on robots for cleaning and facility upkeep, especially on large campuses. Things as simple as an automated vacuum cleaner can go a long way to keeping places continuously clean while also saving on the cost of labor for a 24/7 janitorial staff.
To keep with the newfound desire for contactless deliveries and interactions, it’s predicted drones will be used more frequently for deliveries of important items such as prescription medications or groceries. They can also be used to monitor areas for physical or health hazards and use their built in cameras to relay visual data to the appropriate authorities.
Online Shopping
As the internet continues to evolve, so do the companies that use it. Mega corporations like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy have all constantly updated their websites over the years to make them more user friendly and easier to find quick, accurate results. Now even businesses with brick and mortar stores are relying on their websites to drive sales. This is all in keeping with a general trend to replace physical storefronts with online experiences.
One innovation many businesses have implemented as part of their online platform is a chatbot. A chatbot is a robot customers can interact with in an online chat setting. So instead of having to call the company and ask your questions to a representative, you can ask the artificial intelligence embedded in the site and often get helpful in return. Tech companies are working hard to continually improve the functionality of these chatbots so they are more conversational and less lockstep, meaning you can ask specific questions and get a unique answer instead of choosing from a list of common concerns and receiving a boxed company reply.
Augmented reality is another popular selling technique in the online store space. You’ve probably even used one of these services before! Many eyewear companies now offer the option to scan your face into their website, so you can see what a pair of glasses would like on you before you purchase them. Other places like Wayfair.com allow you to upload a photo of the room you want to add furniture in, and it will impose a rendering of the item you’re interested in into the space. This can help people determine if a sofa will fit, if a chair will match, or if a lamp is actually what they need.
Technology is quickly evolving and to stay on top of it, you have to stay in the loop. These are five things to keep your eye on this year that will likely be shaping society.
