2016 was a year many would rather forget and I think we are all ready for 2017. From events in politics which will rewrite history, to a never-ending stream of unwelcome news. However, 2016 had its fair share of important tech breakthroughs. Such as virtual reality finally becoming readily available to the consumer and virtual assistants moving into our homes.
As we know there is always something new on the horizon, so what can we expect in 2017?
Internet of Things…
Internet of Things (IoT) technology is designed to connect all our devices together, making them work in technological harmony. Household appliances, sensors, heating systems all inter-connected, exchanging data between themselves, cloud services and with us. For industry, the sensors built into your machines will transform the maintenance and control of production equipment or allow you to remotely monitor anything so that you can respond to faults rapidly. IoT will expand rapidly and will be revolutionary, affecting all aspects of life and industries.
Automation…
Automation is nothing new and some may be thinking how can things become even more automated than it already is? We already have automated customer service such as, the self-checkout in shops. However, more previously human exclusive activities will become automated in 2017. Advances in AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Machine Learning have had an impact on sectors like journalism, advertising, and logistics – with the potential for drone-assisted deliveries and self-driving cars to become an everyday reality.
Everything on-demand…
2016 saw an explosion of On-Demand consumer services via phone apps. Such as getting taxis in minutes (eg. Uber), meal deliveries from Deliveroo and Just East, instant streaming films and TV shows (E.g. Amazon Prime, Now and Netflix) and even a place to stay for the night from the likes of Air B&B. We expect to see this develop further in 2017 transforming the service industry.
Self-charging phones…
New battery charging technologies, some of which will be showcased at the January Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, are enabling phones to charge themselves by harvesting energy from radio waves not necessary for call quality. Another charging technology in development is a transparent solar energy collecting layer that will sit between a phone’s touchscreen and display. Watch this space…
3D Printing…
Consumer 3D printers have been around for a while, yet prices are well above a level most of us can afford. However, that should change in 2017. New models will launch with prices that have been drastically reduced By the time Christmas comes again we may see this as the must-have gift on peoples Christmas lists!
Gregory Micallef Associates would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and successful 2017!
