In The New Year Ahead: 5 Tech Predictions for 2019

If you thought this year was a big one, just wait until you find out the what the tech world has coming in 2019 – there’s some major tech predictions.

Robots? Chatbots? Machine learning? You name it. In the new year ahead, the tech world is bound to gift users with more innovative, intuitive and state-of-the-art experiences. As machine learning evolves, so does the way in which we interact with new technologies.

At the same time as interacting, the way we communicate and perform daily operations also varies throughout our day-to-day lives. Tech and digital industries are also ever-inspired to apply innovation, by way of enabling greater connections and usability amid social and semantic spaces.

While 2018 has been a big year, the new year ahead is anticipated to hold some exciting new tech developments. Here, 5 prime predictions for the tech world in 2019.

1. Augmented Reality (AR) Technologies Will Take Off

While Google Glasses didn’t turn out to be the breakthrough that Google had hoped for, the introduction of Google Lens proves it’s only the beginning of a (potentially) prosperous future ahead. Google Lens is a prime example of how Augmented Reality (AR) technologies are being used to blur the lines between augmented reality and what is in fact, reality.

“I do think that a significant portion of the population of developed countries, and eventually all countries, will have AR experiences every day, almost like eating three meals a day. It will become that much a part of you.”

– Tim Cook

AR isn’t about just putting on a headset and stepping into a temporary visualisation or construction, it’s actually an interactive experience which comprises the various physical environments belonging to the real world. AR strives to incorporate everyday aspects as part of these environments.

By producing such computer-generated and perceptual information, formally known as “augmented” information, while catering to the human stimulus modality through visual-based devices such as cameras or smart devices, AR technologies successfully create an illusion to expand the physical world as we know it.

2. Virtual Reality (VR) To Extend Beyond Wearable Headsets

The main difference between Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality is that VR doesn’t just add to an existing physical environment – it actually creates a whole one. As the name indicates, these environments are not real – they’re virtual.

“In the past, before phones and the Internet, all communication was face-to-face. Now, most of it is digital, via emails and messaging services. If people were to start using virtual reality, it would almost come full circle.”

– Palmer Luckey

When the term ‘Virtual Reality’ is mentioned, the first thing that typically comes to mind is a headset – think gaming. However, Oculus VR, the colossal VR tech company founded by Palmer Luckey, strongly predicts that the future of Virtual Reality will extend well beyond headsets.

Keeping this tech prediction firmly in mind, Oculus also affirms, that through capture technology, they’ll be able to achieve precise ‘eye tracking’ experiences within the next four years; in order to enable clear-cut digital versions of true-to-life environments.

3. IoT Will Drive Enhanced App Development

Sure, you’ve probably heard the term ‘The Internet of Things’ before, but what does that actually mean? Well, it’s not just about objects – it’s the world around us and that, includes humans and animals too.

“When we talk about the Internet of Things, it’s not just putting RFID tags on some dumb thing so we smart people know where that dumb thing is. It’s about embedding intelligence so things become smarter and do more than they were proposed to do.”

– Nicholas Negroponte

 

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the overarching networks of devices embedded with connecters and communication software, which connect and intercommunicate with one another to exchange and share data.

Do you own Google Home? A FitBit watch? Have you ever controlled all of the lights at your home or workplace using a smartphone? Well, home automation and wearable heart rate monitors are just marginal examples of IoT, now it’s one of the biggest tech predictions that IoT will fast influence the development of applications to enable smarter and more intuitive user experiences.

4.  5G Networks Are Set to Boom

In the all-new generation of mobile internet connectivity, comes the super speedy, enhanced and the utmost reliable network of 5G – one of the most exhilarating tech predictions. Set to boom across the globe by the year 2020, 5G networks are promising a fast solution to connectivity issues, while paving the way for a connected world ahead.

“We expect 5G to become the worldwide dominating mobile communications standard of the next decade.”

– Dr. Christoph Grote

With 5G networks, users are expected to revel in lightning download speeds of an astonishing approximate of 1GBps. From having such speed and staggering outreach, this will greater enable the development of IoT technologies.

5. Ephemeral Content Rapidly Grows and Diversifies

In a previous blog, 6 Reasons Why You Need to Integrate Ephemeral Content, we talked about how ephemeral content is regarded as one of the biggest trends in social media marketing – and for great reason.

Ephemeral content may refer to short-lived content, but there’s nothing short about its impact. Due its exclusive and authentic nature, which heavily plays on the concept of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), Adweek reports that ephemeral content holds much more impact than sponsored ads, which appear forced and contrived to the vast majority of visitors.

“What Snapchat said was if we try to model conversations as they occur, they’re largely ephemeral. We may try to write down and save the really special moments, but by and large, we just try to let everything go. We remember it, but we don’t try to save it.”

– Evan Spiegel

While Snapchat was the first to both introduce and prove the colossal value of having ephemeral content in attaining soaring engagement rates, Instagram and Facebook have fast followed, even surpassed, demonstrating that ephemeral content is well and truly, on the rise.

Happy Tech Year! 

In case you missed our last blog, discover these 4 Wonderful Marketing Tools to Get Organised in the New Year and get prepared for a fresh and productive year ahead, or catch our latest vlog Do You Need to Optimise All the Pages in Your Website When Doing SEO? and take your SEO strategy to the ultimate next level!