5 Technology Trends That Are On the Rise

By Dan Johnstone , Independent Technology Author

Technology is moving all the time, with innovations and new developments within the sector continuing to crop up on a seemingly daily basis. While this is fantastic news, as it means that we have so many technological features to make use of, it also means that it can be difficult to keep up with technology trends. So, to help you keep track of things, here are five technology trends that are on the rise.

VR Headsets

According to Forbes, one of the biggest technology trends this year is virtual reality headsets. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2018), VR established itself as a key trend to watch in the coming year. Although the sheen has worn off a little bit, with the hype for headsets such as the PlayStation VR, the Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive having cooled since the initial launches of those headsets, there is growing interest surrounding budget hardware. More affordable headsets such as the Oculus Go could potentially drive additional growth.

Online Gaming Platforms

While traditional games continue to thrive, with an audience of more than one billion people around the world, as gamers look for greater variety in the games that they play we could see online gaming platforms emerge as the next tech trend. Platforms such as Steam, where it is easy to access thousands of games (and recommendations) with a few clicks will continue to see growth. Likewise, there are platforms such as William Hill’s online slots, which provide a range of colourful slot games to choose from such as gold-mining title Prospector and Giant Gems. Platforms such as EA’s Origin will continue to draw players in using a combination of variety and free game offers.

Mobile Ecommerce

According to figures from the IMRG Capgemini eRetail Sales Index published in 2017, the UK ecommerce industry was worth €153 billion in 2016. This year, we can expect that figure to rise, in part thanks to the rise of mobile ecommerce. Mobile apps offered by major retailers such as Amazon and an interest in ease of use will drive an increase in the number of people who shop on the go.

Smart Home Devices

Google Home and Amazon Echo are some of the biggest names in the smart home sector, but these connected, AI-powered smart speakers are far from the only ones making the industry a certified juggernaut. We have also seen smart devices such as the connected Philip Hue lightbulbs and the Nest learning thermostat. As there is greater awareness of these devices, there will be greater adoption too.

3D Printers

When 3D printers first came on the scene, they were expensive which made mainstream adoption difficult. But developments in 3D printing technology have not only made owning a 3D printer more affordable but we can print different sorts of materials now. Clay and metal are two some alternatives to plastic.

Technology is moving all the time meaning that the trends of today may look a lot different tomorrow. While it’s important to keep an eye on these trends, those listed above will likely stick around for some time.