Over the last 10 years technology has advanced so much. To think that the world wide web didn’t exist 26 years ago is hard to imagine for some people. It is even more surprising that the technology we have now is probably set to become outdated as the newest technologies only used for a select few individuals like the military are now filtering down to Joe public. So what new gadgets and technology should we expect to see in the future?
Interacting with technology
It has become the norm to interact with a computer using a standard mouse and keyboard but there are lots of new technologies coming in that could transform this. There are a small amount of different devices already available like Mac track pads and virtual keyboards which project the keys onto any surface but they have not become mainstream yet.
Controlling devices with your mind in the future sounds like something out of Star Wars, but mind control could be here in the future. There have already been successful tests of computers controlled by a thought process and it could be the next big thing.
Touch screens have existed in mobiles for a while now, but that is set to evolve in the future too. Haptic feedback is the latest thing to reach state of the art smartphones. It works by not only sensing where you touch on the screen but also how much pressure you use and will send force feedback to your finger and can even be as smart as conveying a sense of different textures on a flat screen. Expect to see this in your everyday smartphone in the future.
Virtual reality is the latest thing in entertainment bringing a new level of interaction to video games and films. There is a lot more to come in the future with VR and companies are only just scratching the surface. At the moment the headsets are bulky but future developments are likely going to solve this. Expect to see them a similar size to glasses in the future.
Voice control is also filtering down to cheaper more accessible devices in the forms of Siri, Google assistant, Cortana and Alexa. 2 of which are now available in a device you can simply talk to in your home without being near your mobile. Say a phrase like “remind me to get shopping tomorrow” and the (Google Home or Amazon Alexa device) will automatically add it to your reminders. Will we need keyboards in the future if we can just type with our voice?
Smart devices
If there’s one thing certain about the future of the technology we use at home and work is that it’s all going smart. Smartphones have been around for a long time and there are now smart watches available. They work by displaying a condensed version of your smartphone notifications on the watch so you can check notifications with a glance rather than getting your phone out of your pocket or bag. Although they have not took off as well as mobiles, as more companies develop better technology expect them to become common in the future.
Our homes will be smart in the future too. Things like a fridge that can text you when you are out of milk and smart heating to turn on ready to be nice and toasty when you get there. Some high end cars even have smartphone apps allowing you to lock them, drive forward out of tight spaces if you can’t get in and even set the heater ready for when you drive off. Expect it to filter down to normal cars in the coming years.
A piece of tech set to make a storm in the future are smart watches which project a hologram of a phone screen on to your arm when needed. Would there be a need for mobile phones anymore? Another new mobile phone technology that could be here sooner than you think is flexible screens. So no more cracked screens!
Social media
Social media is probably one of the biggest things to evolve in the technology industry and lots of companies are joining in to get themselves out there and gain more business. Experts predict that in just 4 years social media usage will increase dramatically to 2.44 BILLION so it’s showing no signs of slowing down. While nothing can be certain experts have predicted the use of social media will become more and more common in our everyday lives. Things like the news will become more and more informative, giving multiple views from different eyewitnesses of events. Even shopping could be integrated into social media. No more going shopping with friends to check what jumper they like, just go shopping with friends on social media. It sounds strange but this is what experts are predicting. Even the possibility of words like Instagram or Tweet bringing nostalgia to only those who remember “the good old days” as the newest on trend social media giant takes over.
Websites
Websites are also set to evolve in the future. With the rise of smartphones websites have already become mobile friendly, but could we be seeing smart watch optimised websites in the future. Or even a virtual reality website that you can interact with through a headset?
Overall it’s hard to tell what tech we could see in the future but one thing certain is that it’s showing no signs of slowing down so expect to see faster, better equipped devices.
