Our digital lives have changed a lot in the last 10 years. It feels like only yesterday we were spending hours chatting to friends on MSN connected to dial-up while downloading the latest Hawthorne Heights album off Limewire.
These days, however, being ‘online’ is a lot like getting dropped into a foreign jungle unarmed and unprepared — and that’s on a ‘good’ internet day. While we have way more top-speed internet options these days, we’re all constantly navigating a world of heinous memes, changing algorithms, jarring pop-up ads and new social media platforms.
It’s fair to say our lives revolve around the internet and online amenities more than ever, and with the rapid pace it’s changing, it’s hard to think of what it might all look like in even a year — or a decade.
“My (optimistic) hope is that the online experience is more seamless, immersive and intuitive,” says Bryan Froud, Director of Collaboration Design and Work Futurist at JLL.
“10 years from now, most of the population will spend more time online (connected) than offline. In addition to 5G there are emerging technologies offering Gigabit speeds that, combined with the adoption of IoT should see several new devices and data points available for retail consumers. Being online anywhere at any time will change how we work, shop, play and live.”
Sounds pretty promising, hey? Here are five things Froud thinks are possible in the next 10 years.
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Driverless cars will be more mainstream
Froud notes that growing concerns surrounding sustainability and climate change would pave the way for making EV charging, solar and Smart Home functionality mandatory. Developments in the space also suggest the mainstream roll-out of autonomous cars may be closer than we think.
“There is already a driverless cab trial in San Fran. As the adoption of autonomous vehicles grows, insurance may be cheaper in an autonomous vehicle, and it could become cost prohibitive to drive non-autonomous vehicles as insurance claims would all be recorded and often human error,” he says.
“Driverless trucks will be more challenging to roll out — even though they already exist in mining — due to larger payload and greater risk of injury and fatality should an accident occur. Driver shortages and cargo delays, however, may present the need for them regardless.”
Remote learning will level up
Remote learning has been at the forefront of education over the last two years. Luckily for those studying online, Froud thinks that developments in the VR and Metaverse space have the potential to make online studying a whole lot more engaging.
“There is potential for universities to adopt VR or Metaverse content into the course curriculum. This will increase the capacity for remote learning and make the content more engaging than currently sitting in a room watching a PowerPoint slide; however, it will likely depend on the school and lecturers being tech-savvy enough to navigate,” says Froud.
We might be online shopping in the metaverse
Online shopping is one of the internet’s most convenient developments — and thanks to AR and the Metaverse, it could get even more immersive. Froud noted that if we can create avatars according to our real-world dimensions, trying on clothes before purchasing could be a possibility.
He also notes that drone delivery could become more widespread over the next few years as well.
“Drone delivery has been piloted in Canberra since 2017. Though there are limitations on weight, and the noise frustrates the locals, it’s possible drone delivery will expand and disrupt popular delivery apps. However, there will probably be restrictions on flight times and drop zones,” he believes.
Will Web3 last?
Web3 has been a hot topic in recent months. However, Froud claims that the mainstream adoption of the development might be patchy due to geopolitical tensions.
“Dictatorships and authoritarian regimes will refuse to give up power. Even some western democracies will likely see Web3 as a risk. It’s much more likely that progressive EU countries place a high value on privacy and anti-monopolistic behaviours. El Salvador adopting Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 will be an interesting case study for developing nations and could create growth. However, established nations and democracies will be hesitant,” Froud explains.
However, he noted that existing game platforms (Epic, Roblox, Minecraft) or sporting/betting agencies see more significant expansion into the Web3 space, using their existing user base for wider adoption and normalising use.
Where will social media Sit?
Lastly, Froud notes our enduring obsession with social media isn’t going anywhere — again suggesting the potential impact the metaverse will have on it.
“With potential growth of the Metaverse, it’s possible there may be a game with the potential for users to generate revenue — such as Genopets — though often it’ll be countries with lower costs of living that use these platforms in a commercial sense rather than for social purposes.”
While these developments may be a little far off, why not bring the future to you? Get seriously fast internet with GigaComm‘s low ping (2-4ms average) and speeds up to 1000 Mbps — huge for anyone who considers themselves the slightest bit online.