Technology has taken over the world and has changed our lives for the better. It has altered the way we go about our daily routines for decades now and 2016 was no different.
This year we have witnessed a number of major technological developments and changes which have had a significant effect on our private and professional lives.
Here is the list of the seven most significant technological advances we have seen in 2016:
1. Live streaming:
Live streaming technology has developed at an astonishing pace this year, particularly via Twitch, Facebook Live, Periscope due to several factors. These include the practicality of mobile devices, faster Internet connections, and a pressure of the trend to be “in the moment” all the time on the social media. As a result of this, live streaming technologies are becoming more diverse and dynamic. They are also getting more efficient, with fewer interruptions and greater accessibility.
2. Virtual and augmented reality:
It has been a huge year for virtual reality (VR), all credit to the emergence of Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Although it has seen a lukewarm welcome from the people, but it certainly has the potential to change the way we view our world. Augmented reality is also getting its fair share of popularity, with the breakout of apps like Pokémon Go which is bringing millions of users together for a shared physical and digital experience. Virtual reality tech is still a new concept which needs a lot of improvement, but the year 2016 has certainly seen the first baby steps towards the era with a blurrier line between the physical and digital realities.
3. Automation, machine learning, and AI.
People have been waiting for the onset of artificial intelligence (AI) for years now, and in the year 2016, we have started to truly witness the development in this niche. Digital assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Cortana which were considered useless and mocked a few years ago, now are equipped with a stunning ability to recognize and decipher human speech. Google updates like RankBrain enables apps to update themselves, after learning from complex user inputs and making automated adjustments. The way things are going we certainly are in an exciting time for AI and machine learning technologies.
4. The Internet-of-Things (IoT).
The Internet-of-Things (I0T) is based on the concept that many everyday items like refrigerators and televisions are now fully capable of accessing the Internet and enjoying “smart” technology. The concept of IoT means that groups of these appliances can be linked together on a single network, which would result in a “smart home” that can be manipulated and controlled easily by a single user on a single system. This technology could soon revolutionize the way we engage with our environments and interact with each other.
5. Big data and visualization.
In all honesty it has been a few years since “big data” started becoming a popular word, so this can’t be counted as purely a revelation of 2016. For the past few years, commercial businesses have been upgrading their systems in order to collect greater quantities and accurate data about their customers. This data is useful only when it is interpreted correctly, and the gathering agents are posing the right questions. Here is when the era of data visualization comes into play, where advanced and more refined software and analytics programs automatically gather big data and project it in meaningful and useful ways. And it has never been more accurate and actionable then in the year 2016, as you can see from the tailored ads on your mobile screens and the apps suggestions etc.
6. App streaming.
App streaming has been one of the most invigorating and enthralling developments in the field of online search and mobile experience. Google has been working hard for enabling the visibility and functionality of apps in its search engine for quite a few years now, but its recent push to “streaming” apps in search results for users has brought a different dimension to the concept. App streaming allows users to access content to apps they have not downloaded, which opens a potential door to the eventuality of apps replacing traditional websites as the central medium to gather new information.
Do you think there are any more technological trends to be covered ?
Comment below!