2011: The Streaming, Green, Mobile, 4G Year

 

Trends in Technology That Will Impact Consumers

 

[1]The past 10 years have seen significant technological advances and shifts. In the US, the number of cell phones in use more than doubled from a mere 109 million in 2000 to 262 million in 2008.  Walkmans have been replaced with iPods. Once upon a time, everyone wanted to know, will it be “VHS or BetaMax?” Big business was built on, and then bankrupted by, videotape technology. What’s ahead?

Experts are highlighting a few trends leading this year’s technology innovations. One site, TechWench.com, boils it down to these five: [2]

1. Commercialization of Personal Information— information about us, the consumer, is a goldmine that is simply too valuable to ignore, so the battle between privacy and profit will wage on.
2. Online Video— the essence of instant gratification, this technology will continue to complicate the relationship between content and advertising and compensation, as traditional viewing models, supported by commercials, shift and change.
3. 4G Network — as mobile devices gain in utility and popularity, fat data networks like 4G will impact not only how consumers think about traditional data connections like cable and DSL, but also where they feel confident accessing data (that is, no longer chained to their office or home for data-heavy applications).
4. Green Technology — the economy and energy prices will combine to push technological solutions that are both green and frugal. Look for more eco-friendly services and products as it becomes clear that green does not have to mean unprofitable to the seller, or more expensive to the buyer.
5. Mobile Applications — the transformation of our cell phone from a basic communication device to our base of operations, expected to do everything from wake us up to pay for our coffee means that every day will see new ways to add functionality and features to our mobile devices.

Deloitte, in its Technology, Media & Telecommunications Predictions for 2011, includes a few more trends they feel will shape the technology landscape this year:

1. Diversity — in both hardware and software, Deloitte sees the advent of variety offering consumers more choice on the one hand, as phones, tablets and computers all invade the mobile computing space, but also limiting choice on the other, as developers have to choose from multiple operating systems, such as iOS, Android, Linux, etc., to design for, or spend the resources to develop multi-platform solutions.
2. Tablets — these will transform the way we work and play, offering a new platform for media, presentations, data and more.
3. eGov — this year will continue to see the government implement more electronic resources for its citizens, building on current features such as eFiling of tax returns, online payment of parking tickets, etc.

Mobility and access to data will fundamentally drive innovation in the foreseeable future, as consumers become more and more used to the ability to get more done from wherever they are. Gone are the days when you were only available by phone when you were home or at the office. It’s no longer true that you can’t edit that spreadsheet if you don’t have your laptop with you. The trend appears to be that immediate access to all parts of our life will be with us all the time. Whether that’s progress depends on your perspective.

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[1] Image 1: http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/image/86540874

[2] Image 2: http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/image/108790856