Every year brings something new to information technology. But it seems like things are changing faster than ever these days.
With the CES expo seeing over 10,000 new gadgets every year, it’s hard to keep up with everything.
But there are more significant trends that you can keep track of in IT. In this post, we will discuss the most critical information technology trends happening now and what they mean for you.
Keep reading to learn what they are.
1. Internet of Things
The term internet of things has been around for a long time. But it hasn’t been until recent years that we’ve developed the technology to start connecting everything. From food safety to cities, there are developments everywhere.
Smart Cities
The internet of things is making its way into cities and is improving traffic everywhere.
Smart parking meters will let you find open parking spots without driving around searching. Traffic lights are also making use of AI to predict traffic better. This predictive technology means you spend more time driving and less time waiting in traffic.
Alternative transportation has also started to make an impact. If you have been to a large city, you’ve probably seen scooters or bikes for rent. The internet of things makes this possible. These rentals are connected to the cloud and allow you to rent transportation on your own wherever you are in the city.
Food Safety
Foodborne illness is still rising, so companies are using the opportunity to create new tech to help keep people safe.
New software and sensors are making it easier than ever to monitor food in storage facilities to make sure that conditions are right to keep the food fresh.
This software provides real-time data to companies so that a storage failure never takes them by surprise.
2. Blockchain
You may think of Bitcoin when you hear the word blockchain, but it is much more than a currency. Blockchain technology is providing us new ways to create technology and bring transparency to businesses. Here are a few trends to watch for in 2019.
Supply Chain Transparency
Social responsibility has become significant. Consumers don’t want to buy from shady businesses. Blockchain will open up the supply chain and allow anyone to track purchase history from companies.
This transparency means we can see exactly where business gets their product.
Federated Services
A federated blockchain removes individual ownership over a network. Federated networks are services run by multiple parties. The blockchain will act as a hub to connect these networks to allow companies to work together.
This network benefits users because they can share information with multiple companies to get any work done.
3. 5G Rollouts
Companies have talked about 5G for a long time. It seems like every time we think we will see it start being rolled out, something happens, and we have to wait longer.
Now that we’re in 2019, the big phone carriers will start to roll out the 5G network. So what advantages will it bring over 4G?
More Speed
It may seem like your phone loads websites fast, but that’s because websites need to optimize their sites for mobile. They cut down on features, images, and size to boost the speed. 4G still isn’t all that fast.
5G will provide speeds that are 20 times faster than 4G. This speed means we can use applications and more sophisticated technology with our phones. Speed will be much less of a factor in the future.
Faster Rollout
The switch from 3G to 4G hasn’t been a smooth one. We still have significant populations that are stuck with 3G. 4G isn’t easy to deploy at scale.
5G was designed to make deployment easier. 5G doesn’t only provide faster speeds. It’s a whole new networking standard.
More Connected Devices
The 5G rollout isn’t useful for only mobile users. It provides a means to connect more devices than ever. We have developments in autonomous cars, internet of things, and drone services. 5G will make more things possible than ever.
4. AI Chatbots
With Google and other large companies providing processing for AI, it’s easier than ever to develop your own services. You don’t have to outlay the infrastructure yourself.
Chatbots have been around for a while, but they’ve never been that smart. AI is changing that. Now it’s hard to tell if you are talking to a human or a bot.
This isn’t just text chats either. Voice technology has gotten so good it’s also harder to tell if you are having a conversation with a human or an AI. Once we set the standards, we could see AI make considerable moves in the call center industry.
Research shows we could see around 40% of companies adopt some sort of intelligent chatbot service in 2019.
5. Connected Cars
We were promised flying cars. But that hasn’t happened yet.
Will one that drives itself work? AI technology has come a long way, and there are now several companies racing to put the first autonomous vehicle on the market.
Tesla was the first company to start the hype. But now there are more than 10 companies in the game wanting to be there first.
With the internet of things advances and 5G rollout expected this year, autonomous cars have more tools to make them a success.
Your car is now also connecting to your phone. Bluetooth technology is enabling new sensors and apps that you control with your smartphone. This connectivity is giving consumers more control than ever over their cars.
If you want to take advantage of Bluetooth connectivity to stream music to your car, these subwoofers offer a great sound that will immerse you in your music.
Don’t Miss Out on These Information Technology Trends
We’ve only covered five of the significant information technology trends for 2019. Things are changing fast, and there are even more things happening. Make sure you keep up, so you don’t get left behind.
If you are looking for more new tech, then you are in luck. Read our gadget blog to learn about the latest tech that is making waves in 2019.
