The Tech Trends of 2018
There have already been several exhibits and presentations regarding the tech trends for both the coming year and the future. This is a representation of the expected patterns and trends that may play an important role for 2018. The top seven most highly anticipated are described below.
Robotics
Robotics are expected to play a major part in consumer electronics. One of the robotic inventions in the spotlight is a robot named Kuri. The robot has been designed as a friend to the family, and uses face recognition to automatically capture the special moments in life. This is reminiscent of last autumn’s recognition technology which enabled users to concentrate on the moment instead of attempting to take the perfect picture. Honda’s robots have been engineered using 3E Philosophy, and are created for empathy, experience and empowerment. The current trend is incorporating empathy into robots, essentially providing a computer capable of speaking, moving and showing feelings.
Smart Cities
Smart cities are incorporating everything from energy and environmental usage to self-driving pizza vehicles to make deliveries. The city is where technology and society are establishing a major connection. This is a new category for 2018, and brands are keeping an open mind because they see a potential opportunity to expand their roles within the community. This may be accomplished through the use of new technology. A good example are the services for public safety. Technology can bolster these services with the cooperation of the regional leadership, organizations and markets. The fit of each organization into the new ecosystem of the smart city must be explored. Marketers can remain ahead of their competition by finding ways to actively contribute and support the smart cities with the brands. This would enable the brand to have a much larger role in the emerging trend of the smart city.
5G
5G is a new wireless technology that has been featured in current headlines. This includes Samsung being selected by Verizon for the commercial launch of the 5G technology. This technology is important because the end result is higher wireless speeds, a lower latency, a higher capacity, and less technical delays. This will make a tremendous difference regarding autonomous and wireless VR vehicles. The benefits will improve the user experience due to the higher rates of data, and it is also has a greater capacity for safety due to the latency piece. One of the most important safety aspects of driving an autonomous vehicle is the ability of the technology to make independent operational decisions. This must be accomplished seamlessly, and with more speed than a human driver is capable of. When 5G technology was demonstrated in a presentation, a two-hour movie was used as an example. This would require 26 hours using a 3G network, six minutes on a 4G network, and 3.6 seconds on a 5G network.
Facial Recognition
The role faces play in devices capturing and recognizing preferences is increasing from the iPhone to the recognition of eyes and a nose by smart cars. This is occurring everywhere, and people are starting to become comfortable with this technology. According to research by the CTA, the trust placed in this technology for personal medical information is also increasing due to the convenience factor. Face recognition can be implemented so smart cars can recognize users for actions including opening trunks or unlocking doors. These patterns for in-vehicle technology are expected to be a part of the $15.9 billion revenue predicted for the industry in 2018.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence, or AI, is expected to have a major role in digital personal assistants in the sector of smart homes. Just like with machine learning, the technology of AI can recognize the behavioral patterns and preferences of the users. An excellent example are smart speakers. The predicted revenue for 2018 is estimated at $3.8 billion, with 43.6 million units purchased, a 93 percent increase. AI is also important for the actions, data processing and sensory perception for autonomous driving capabilities. This capability is considered major with a revenue forecast of $15.9 billion in the industry, a growth of six percent. The two newest expectations for 2018 include conversations between natural language processing and humans, similar to the way humans speak to one another, and AI gaining the ability to reduce bias and increase trust with the users. If this execution is successful, AI systems will be able to explain the rational behind their content, actions and recommendations.
Voice Assistants
Voice assistants were used by one out of every four shoppers during the 2017 holiday shopping season. This is another area the increase in smart speaker sales can be used by marketers for a distinct advantage. The identity of a brand is becoming linked to technology and voice assistants, and this provides opportunities not available in the past. If the voice assistants are merged with the brand, context can be exclusively created for that brand. This specific skill can be branded and customized by the marketer using this technology.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality, or VR, may not be a new trend, but there are new uses for this technology. The predictions are the most noticeable evolution and changes will take place in VR. This is especially true regarding the creation of immersive experiences to increase awareness of the brand. VR technology was used nearly exclusively in the past for entertainment purposes, but has entered the commercial industry including shopping. VR can look into a business, and provide assistance in the running and creation of services and products. AR, or augmented Reality is also becoming a part of the B2C space, and is being referred to as AR for all. Brands including Wayfair and Ikea have found consumer oriented uses for the technology such as demonstrating gaming experiences from Google and Apple and home décor. When AR technology originally established a name for itself, it was in the B2B sector. This was mostly for the enhancement of information delivery to the analysis’s and trade shows. As the growth of AR continues, the presence in the computer sector is leaving B2B in the past. This technology is evolving rapidly, and this presents a golden opportunity for marketers in the business world.
The Future of Technology
There is no doubt technology will have a big impact on 2018. From smart homes to smart cars to smart cities, technology is impacting the way society functions. The society of the future may have very little resemblance to current society, and as technology evolves, the world must follow.
This is a guest article from Summit Shah. What do you think the next big tech trends will be? Let us know in the comments.
About the Author:
Summit Shah is a tech expert, and has never doubted the role technology would play in the future for the world of finances. As time has passed, he has become a highly respected author regarding technology. He has developed his specialty in integrating technology into business, and his success is unquestionable.
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