The Biggest Technology Trends To Expect in 2022
We’re only a month into the new year, but there is already a lot happening in the tech world to get excited about. If you are someone who loves to be on the bleeding edge of modern advancement, then here’s a list of some of the biggest technology trends to expect in 2022. Of course, predicting the future is near impossible, but these are the things that we’re anticipating the most.
The Start of the Metaverse Race
Last year, Facebook took the Internet by storm by announcing their play for the metaverse, going as far as changing their parent company name to Meta. While most consumers likely didn’t take the announcement too seriously, many companies probably did. That means the race to become the first official metaverse is already underway.
Even though no other giant tech companies have made any announcements just yet, it’s inevitable at this point. Ever since the announcement of the Microsoft/Activision merger early this year, there have been some rumblings that this might be Microsoft’s play for the metaverse. While we aren’t sure what Activision would have to do with that, we know that Microsoft has been sitting on that HoloLens technology for quite a few years and has yet to do anything with it. This might be the time for them to shine.
The Boom of Electric Vehicles
This entry isn’t as shocking since electric cars have slowly been entering the market for years now, but this might be the time for it to really take off. With so many people still working from home, once the day comes for them to go back to the office, they might not want to have a gas expense added to their list of regular payments again. That means there might be greater demand for electric cars coming soon, giving it the push it needs.
While the new and exciting tech of hydrogen-powered cars might be the talk of the town these days, we are still many years away from that becoming an option that your everyday consumer can afford. The cost of hydrogen is simply too high, so electric cars have a pretty commanding lead right now.
The Beginning of 6G
No, that’s not a typo. We barely have 5G up and running, and some experts are already talking about 6G. Research for this tech started all the way back in 2018, but this is the year that some companies might start talking about it. While that might seem insane, due to the pandemic, over a billion more people are using the Internet than there were just a few years ago. While the actual launch of 6G is probably still a ways away, don’t be surprised if you hear about it in the coming months.
The Protection of Body Tracking Data
It’s not uncommon for new wearable tech these days to have a sensor that can check your vital signs while being worn. Our seniors’ and kids’ video call watches are a perfect example of devices that can do just that while still offering all the other upsides that a watch can bring. Like all other technology, this one shows no signs of slowing down. Readings are becoming so accurate that medical professionals are starting to use them to help determine a diagnosis.
The problem here, though, is the fact that all this medical data isn’t currently protected under HIPAA privacy laws. Even though we’re here to tell you to be on the lookout for new devices that will track this kind of info even better, the main thing you’ll want to pay attention to is HIPAA’s response to it. We’re sure they’ll try to do something about it this year.
The Rise of Smart Home Usage
The smart home is a product that seems to make these kinds of lists every year. However, we genuinely believe that this could be the year for them. So many gadgets and appliances these days can connect to a smart home, which is what these devices are truly made for. Even though asking yours for the weather or to play your favorite song are excellent features, the main goal is to be able to control your home through it, and this year might be the year for that dream to become a reality.
The Continuation of the Chip Shortage
When people see a list called “the biggest technology trends to expect in 2022,” they typically expect the trends to all be good things. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case this time because the chip shortage that’s been going on since the beginning of the pandemic is expected to continue throughout all of 2022. That means it’ll be another long year of low stocks of cars, consoles, and other high-end electronics while the prices continue to inflate to compensate for the lack of semiconductor chips.
Even though there are plans in place to build more chip manufacturing plants in the US, the chance of us seeing any noticeable changes from that before 2023 is relatively low. For now, we just need to take care of what we have and hope that it all lasts another year.
The Growth of the NFT Market
We saved the most controversial trend for last: NFTs. Even though the general consensus among most people is these need to go, big tech businesses seem to disagree. Many gaming companies, like Ubisoft and Square Enix, have already announced interest in or plans for NFT usage in the near future.
Unfortunately, it seems like there will be no brakes on this train, so as a way to end this blog post on a hopeful note, we wanted to talk about what good could potentially come from this. The term NFT stands for non-fungible token. That means that it is entirely unique to you, and since it’s a part of the blockchain, no one can interfere or change that.
Let’s continue with video games as an example. While most companies are only interested in the “art” side of NFTs, we could one day use this tech to purchase a digital video game. Instead of having the ownership of your game tied to whatever platform you bought it through, it would be tied to you directly. That means no one can ever take it from you, which would be huge for gamers who don’t buy their games physically. You can apply this idea to other industries as well. Being able to actually own your digital goods would be a game-changer, which is why we’re hopeful for the future of NFTs this year.
