2019 has been a big year for technological advancement thus far as drones, Mobile 5G and increased internet capability have helped not only businesses, but individuals to run their lives more efficiently. But what does 2020 have to offer us that 2019 does not? In this article, we will be looking into some of the technological trends that will define 2020 with the potential to change our lives forever.
Though the implementation of 5G is already underway with a number of releases already hitting the shelves, this fifth generation of mobile network is set to make long-lasting changes to the way people use their phones as well as changing a number of industries such as social media and mobile development. With faster speed and more reliable connections, users are able to stay connected regardless of where they are.
When looking at some of the benefits of this 5G network, it is clear to see that much faster speeds for browsing as well as a download speed of around 1GBps will soon become normal. Though this may not seem like much in the early stages, this technology if established correctly can help businesses to operate remotely even when traveling overseas. This is beneficial for mobile gaming as well as international trading for businesses as it provides constant access to trading applications and other investments all from a mobile device rather than a traditional laptop.
In addition to the implementation of 5G, there is an increased focus on the capability of the internet and how it can help to modernize and revolutionize a number of experiences. The internet of thinking is the development of intelligent environments that can track purchases or the removal of specific items that can streamline the customer experience. This is set to be a big trend in 2020 and the years following stores such as Amazon Go begin to show this kind of intelligent shop is more than achievable.
With “just walk out technology” this intelligent superstore can track items removed or returned to shelves and place them within your online basket. This is then later charged to your Amazon account within the Amazon Go app, completely removing the need for cashiers as well as the experience of waiting in line. This is a trend that is set to revolutionize the future of retail as deep learning algorithms and automated checkouts will reduce the need for cashiers as well as time spent waiting in line.
At this current moment in time, voice-interface platforms currently comprise of Alex, Siri, Google Home, Cortana, Bixby and Watson and have seen great success within a number of homes. This conversational ecosystem is only set to expand in 2020 as new algorithms and products begin to make their way onto the market changing the way that users gain access to information over the internet.
This is an important trend to take note of as 72% of people who own a voice-activated speaker say that their devices are used as part of their daily routine. This is key to the rapid growth of this growing industry as 52% of people claim to keep smart speakers in a living room compared to 25% in the bedroom and 22% in the kitchen as indicated by the table above. Though these statistics may not seem like much at first glance, the number of home smart speakers are beginning to increase helping to achieve the following results.
Voice search is also helping to streamline the daily commute as a number of Amazon devices and Google Home devices are now available in a number of in-car gadgets. Whether this is to change a song or change the destination on your navigation device, both Google and Siri are on hand to help.
Though cloud technology is nothing new to a number of businesses, cloud-connected retail is a big trend that is set to grow in 2020. This innovation has come as a direct result of the vast increase in the number of people opting for online shopping over the traditional experience. With a number of orders being processed as well as parcels that need to be packed and delivered, the increased in intelligent technology in-store and online is only set to rise in the next few years.
In addition to the implementation within independent retailers, all of the major supermarkets are also harnessing the power of intelligent algorithms to anticipate what a user will buy before they begin to make the purchase. This cloud-based connected retail experience is the perfect step to increasing the return of investment and bridging the gap between an online and traditional brick and mortar stores creating the ultimate experience for users as well as an opportunity for expansion when looking at traditional retail.
The final trend that is set to change the way users obtain information is the downfall of traditional media. With more and more people now reading newspapers and news reports online, the process of creating traditional media content is slowly beginning to reduce. Though the use of traditional print will never truly die out, many traditional newspaper outlets are resorting to creating online content in order to generate clicks and maintain a healthy amount of revenue as people are more reluctant to buy a copy of a newspaper or magazine for £4.99 or more. Though this may be the death of traditional forms of media, there is no denying that a large amount of content that is consumed is through an online platform. Whether this is in bite-sized chunks of information, or a short video report to give users the information that they are looking for as quickly as possible.
(Infographic source: Visualcapitalist)
With a number of trends set to make an impact in 2020, there is reason to suggest that our everyday routine has the potential to become much more automated. Whether this is an automated retail experience or increased capability within our cellular devices, our lives are set to change.
By Thomas Readley
