Tech talk: Vision 2020 and beyond

Tech talk: Vision 2020 and beyond

Flying cars will be the most common mode of transport in the year 2020!

Jitendra SoniUpdated: Saturday, January 04, 2020, 01:05 PM IST
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While growing up almost all of us would have heard this prediction and now that we are in the year 2020, we know that the prediction is a few years off the target.

Predicting futuristic innovations is one of the most interesting things scholars and scientists do. They not only give a sneak peek of what the future has in store for us and in turn help us visualize how technology will ease life style.

Though we may see Hyundai showcasing a flying car at CES this year, we will have to give this dream a few more years to become a reality. Hence, keeping expectations as realistic as possible, let us talk about what we can expect from the field of technology in the year 2020.

5G connectivity

Theoretically, 5G has already been introduced late last year, however, its adoption is still at a nascent stage. The technology is currently present in a handful of countries as of now and in India, 5G trials are expected to start by the first quarter.

Factors including the consolidation of the telecom sector and huge costs associated with this new technology have delayed the process a bit in India.

5G, as we know, is not just downloading movies faster, it is meant to bolster wireless broadband services which in turn will offer us better gaming and multimedia experience, boost wireless AR and VR services, give IoT ecosystem a new lease of life, offer better healthcare, driverless vehicles and much more.

Battery tech

Battery technology is often the least discussed piece of tech when it comes to battery-powered devices like EVs, Phones, Laptops, etc. The current-gen Li-ion batteries are supposed to make way for Solid-State Batteries this year, which will be thinner, more stable, cheaper and will still offer more backup than the regular batteries.

Computational photography

More megapixels or more cameras never guarantee a better image. Brands like Apple and Google have proved that smartphone cameras can capture high-quality images without being dependent on the megapixel count or cramming in a lot of sensors.

This technology uses software algorithms to capture multiple images every time you press the shutter button, then blends these images to reduce blur, movements, and balance colour output to produce images that are normally not possible with a regular smartphone camera.

With more brands adopting it, the technology will only get better and we will be able to capture some stunning images using our phones.

Facial Recognition

We use a tool daily that deploys facial recognition for security. That tool is called a smartphone. Be it an iPhone or any other Android phone, all of these devices use facial recognition. However, pretty soon we will see it being used on a massive scale.

Imagine walking into a store to shop for products that you need and simply walking out without the need of standing in the payment queue. Your facial data stored with the store will help them process the payment automatically.

Wireless charging

No, we’re not talking about the regular wireless charging where you need to keep your gadgets on top of a compatible charging mat, but this technology would beam power like WiFi signals and charge your devices wirelessly without the need of a clumsy dongle, charging cable, or charging mats.

This long-range, wireless charging technology can easily power your smart and devices and can charge multiple devices at the same time. Products using this technology were first displayed at CES last year and are expected to make their way to the market later this year.

Cloud gaming

For years, gaming has been dependent on hardware like a console or a high specced gaming rig, however, with the arrival of cloud gaming, users can enjoy console-level games on any phone, laptop, PC or even a TV by streaming them like you’d stream a YouTube video.

Companies like Google, Microsoft, Sony, Nvidia, etc. all are setting up their gaming streaming service to let enjoy whatever game you want to play any time without being limited by the hardware availability.

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