A pandemic that devastated the world and accelerated the digital transformation of, well, everything? Not even the best of futurists or psychics shaking the ball in Magic 8 could have predicted the year 2020. And yet, although we would have lost the biggest news, our predictions for what would happen in the world of technology they remained decent. (OK, well, I didn’t think Quibi was going to die that quick.)
Now, 2020 has become the goal of all our predictions of 2021. As we continue to live in a world of pandemic warfare, innovators will focus on technological solutions to our personal and professional lives, from the debut of streaming movies to home to a late evolutionary leap of the laptop. But we will also strive to achieve a new normal and you will see that technology helps us there too, from new hybrid work practices to high-tech masks. And accompanying each new product or service: another monthly subscription fee.
Now that we’ve called in the new year, here’s what we need to look for.
Pandemic-inspired innovation
Masks, webcams and toiletries for our bodies … and our gadgets. The pandemic has become addictive to the things we ourselves 2019 could never have imagined. With marketers looking to capitalize on new interest (and anxiety), 2021 will likely be full of new devices that boldly promise to improve everything.
A key area: better webcams for our constant video calls. Samsung has already announced that its future Galaxy smartphone, expected in early 2021, will improve recording and video calls. We expect laptop manufacturers to do the same and eventually give up their low-resolution webcams.