4 Tech Trends to Consider in Spring 2016

Tesla Model 3 was pre-ordered over 400.000 times. Photo is of Model S. (Source: Steve Jurvetson/Wikipedia)

1. Cars are Becoming the new Phones.

We’ve had multitouch smartphones for almost a decade now and the novelty has worn off. iPad and Apple Watch appear to be just a variations on the theme. But hey, who isn’t excited about a four-wheel smart device called Tesla? If preorders are any indication, the mainstream tech buzz is moving from phones to cars. Mind that the cars last longer than phones, so it will take decades before the market saturates.

An example of a chat with a Skype bot. (Source: Microsoft Bot Framework)

2. Bots may Replace Call Centers.

Microsoft and Facebook are quick to declare that bots are as revolutionary as apps were, but mind that those are the two firms who so far failed to establish a popular mobile ecosystem. However, if we get a universal enough ecosystem for bots, they might come handy. I can imagine a pizza delivery to opt for a bot to take orders, but not if they have to develop 5 different versions because Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Google and some new cool startup want to each push their own ecosystems.

It is hard to imagine that VR glasses would be a massive hit and not at most a very niche product.

3. Virtual Reality is Probably Just Another Fad.

The iPhone and iPad made people look cool. Google Glass, Apple Watch and bluetooth headsets? Not so much. Giant TV — cool; 3D glasses to watch it — lame. Tech that didn’t make user “cool” has proven to be a commercial failure as soon as novelty wore off; and at this point it’s hard to see mass appeal in VR glasses. There are other significant factors; can I wear it for 4 or 6 or 8 hours without getting a headache or hurting my eyes or neck? Time will tell, but no matter how amazing the experience, it just seems too clumsy for mainstream.

When it comes to TVs, looks (picture quality) beat brains (the “smart” component).

4. Your Phone and TV Are Getting Closer.

TV has a big problem getting smart. A good TV lasts for some ten years, while the integrated tech gets outdated in a year or two (updates or no updates). We have big TVs and we have decent smartphones; what we need is an accepted standard for them to communicate and to do away with latency. Streaming shows from phone to TV is gaining support. Console-strength gaming is expected on smartphones in a few years and considering most of us will already possess all the necessary equipment, we may be in for a gaming revolution.