Exciting new technologies in 2020

The new decade has only just started, but already plenty of us are thinking about exciting new technology. For a while, at least, it may not seem as though much is changing – but we’re already seeing new innovations on the horizon which are going to be well worth paying attention to.

Here are just a few of the more surprising – and enterprising – technology trends likely to shape our world from 2020 onwards.

5G data

5G internet is a concept that’s been hard to avoid for several months now. Therefore, it’s hardly surprising that we’re going to see a shift towards superfast mobile data in the months to come. Major networks are already preparing for the roll-out, as are big manufacturers. Leading Eastern developers such as Huawei are prepping their phones for 5G, which means Apple won’t be too far behind.

Virtual gaming

Virtual gaming is already with us, but things are likely to spike even further heading into the later months of 2020. Some games consoles are already making use of its basic tech, and Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus means social media and any attached games are likely to be making use of VR soon enough. The numbe of online games that will adopt this is ever-growing, touching every industry, which you can see more here. Many games are likely to be rubbing shoulders with VR environments very soon.

Bionic upgrades

The idea of bionic upgrades is nothing new. They’ve been part of our popular TV shows and movies for decades; however, they are likely to enter real life and be in the mainstream pretty soon. Already, there are movements to create bionic eyes and ears, meaning that people unable to hear or see may soon be able to change their lives for the better with implants.

For example, bionic body parts are already being created by 3D printing. This printing tech in itself is set to get bigger in 2020, and, apparently, for humanitarian purposes.

Driverless cars

Driverless vehicles are, believe it or not, nothing new. Google is already testing out automated cars around its base in Palo Alto, California. However, big auto manufacturers such as Toyota are thinking ahead when it comes to the future of smart driving experiences. Ultimately, the future is leaning towards driverless taxis and cars, however, there will need to be a lot of ironing out of problems in the meantime.

Toyota revealed recently that they will be creating an artificial city, of sorts, where they can test such vehicles. It’s a bold strategy and one which will likely push driverless tech more into the mainstream the further we move into the decade.

Foldable Tech

If 2018 and 2019 saw the rise of wearable tech, then 2020 is likely to push foldable items into the mainstream. Talk of foldable, rollable and splittable phones has been common for some time. Samsung has already started playing around with such concepts, and it seems that Intel is keen to bring foldable hardware to the public in the form of a new line of laptops.

Foldable tech seems to be something that’s emerging, but it will remain to be seen if there is quite the public thirst for it that businesses appear to believe. Keep an eye on what’s emerging in the months to come.

Extended reality

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR and VR) are already big news. So, what’s next? Blending the two, of course. Heading into 2020, businesses and brands are focusing more and more on offering up augmented marketing and virtual experiences to their consumers and clients. It’s a great way to push new products and to allow people to get a feel for a line without physically interacting with them.

Extended reality, therefore, is likely to be a very big factor indeed in commercial marketing strategies moving forward. It’s also likely we’ll be seeing new apps and devices bringing AR and VR together towards the end of 2020 and beyond.

What’s next?

While it’s clear to see where technology may be heading based on business plans and what consumers are demanding, we live in an age where innovation is constantly moving beyond our comprehension. As such, 2020 promises to be a fantastic year for technological innovation, and we can’t wait to see what happens next!

The editorial unit