60 years ago, Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, coined the famous Moore’s Law, a prediction that stated that computing abilities would radically increase in power over time while decreasing in cost.Today, more than ever, we are living in Moore’s era.
Moore’s insight, coupled with the hard work of engineers and computer scientists all over the globe, has fueled the growth of the technology sector to the point where the industry has become a staple in our economy. Consumers and enterprises have a lot to look forward to as technology becomes affordable enough to serve mass markets.
But, in this fast-paced environment, that new technology you’re hopping onto may be amazing now... But, will anyone remember it -- or be just as eager to use it -- next year?
What exactly does 2019 have in store for us? Here are 7 tech trends in 2019 you need to keep your eye on.
(Photo by Julie Tupas on Unsplash)
China’s SaaS Industry Will Grow
In 2019, China’s presence in the tech space will be even stronger than it already is. According to Forrester Research, China’s tech industry will grow by 9% in 2019. The country’s major tech players -- Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent -- are making huge inroads around the need for connected network infrastructure.
Tech manufacturers like Xiaomi, Hisense, and ZTE are driving innovation in the APAC region, producing quality products at low costs.
Similarly, China will continue its transformation from a hardware manufacturer to a software and services provider by leveraging AI-optimised hardware and IoT devices. These two things will drive the Chinese SaaS industry and transform the Asian giant from business operations king to customer experience expert.
5G Connectivity
4G connectivity will reach its plateau point soon and 5G is ready to take its place. Rather than relying on high-powered cellular towers like 4G devices do, 5G uses low-powered cells distributed in a broader area to achieve faster speeds.
Another great thing about 5G connectivity is that small cell doesn’t require as much power as radio towers and can be deployed on light poles and building rooftops, thus forming a web of broadcasting signals to reduce signal degradation.
I think this technology will play a crucial role in massive cities thanks to its ability to increase interconnectivity. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Low-Code Development
Low-code platforms can be traced back to 2011, but it’s in 2019 when they will achieve a new level of implementation.
According to Gartner, by 2020, at least 50% of new business applications will be created with low-code or no-code app development platforms.
Low-code platforms build apps through declarative and visual tools that describe what an app should do using intuitive visual platforms.
Instead of hand-coding, business owners can use drag-and-drop interfaces to build visual models of an app, automating coding and making it accessible to the average consumer.
Low-code platforms simplify much of the engineering complexities of app development. It streamlines development and reduces the technical requirements needed to develop digital solutions, thus accelerating and democratising app development.
Progressive Web Apps (PWA)
In simple terms, a progressive web app is a mobile app delivered through the web. It functions as a native app because it uses an app-like interface that enables mobile websites to work like apps. The main difference is that you don’t have to download it from the app store.
Think of progressive web apps like a cloud-based SaaS for mobile. These apps run right in the browser and load instantly, reducing mobile data usage and saving valuable memory space.
For instance, by choosing a PWA, users consume less data without losing the convenience of an app. From a business perspective, this also reduces churn because a PWA requires less commitment with the same benefits of a native app.
Blockchain Goes Mainstream
Blockchain operations and cryptocurrencies have been in the news for the past two years, but 2019 will be the year when blockchain operations become mainstream.
A study by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance indicates that 20% of the banks surveyed affirmed they would deploy some form of blockchain technology for their operations within the next 2 years. In addition, 40% of them admitted they believe blockchain will be a staple of our finances within the next decade.
The UK Central Bank also announced they would adopt blockchain technology in their interbank transactions to strengthen their security systems and integrate more business.
In my opinion, the fact that banks are self-disrupting their systems is a positive thing, especially if it brings transparency and innovation to the industry.
AI-Powered Cyber Security
After the Wannacry ransomware attacks and the AI-powered cyberattacks in late 2017, the cybersecurity industry has strengthened their security measures to deal with the increase in smart threats.
AI-powered software uses the cloud to learn from former threats and security breaches to forecast and classify cybersecurity risks. It also automates security prioritisation and reduces false positives. In 2018, 87% of cybersecurity professionals used AI to protect their networks against threats, and this number will increase in 2019 until it reaches total adoption. Cybersecurity systems like D3 transform incident data and prior responses into a proactive security stance.
Augmented Reality Devices
While Augmented Reality is nothing new, its adoption has increasrd over the years, and by 2020, AR will reach 1 billion users worldwide.
For years, AR has become the new frontier in business innovation, especially in the consumer industry. The wide array of benefits offered by visual technologies are enhancing both the customer service and retail industries.
For instance, screenless devices are disrupting the industry and enabling any surface to double up as a screen through high definition visualisation technologies. In 2017, Gartner predicted that by 2020, 100 million customers would shop in augmented reality devices. This would increase consumer engagement by enabling them to fully explore their options without having to visit a physical location.
Final Thoughts
In 2019 and beyond, businesses that are willing to stay ahead of the competition will have to self-disrupt to remain competitive.
Leveraging new technologies and adopting the standards is, without a doubt, a smart strategy to adopt as we move into 2019. In the upcoming year, technology will become more important than ever for value creation, revenue generation, and brand awareness, which calls for a new business perspective to stay afloat during the disruption.
Are you ready to change?
Cat Williams-Treloar founded Humanisation, a Human-Centered Marketing Consultancy. Humanisation was born to help startups make a human impact in a digital world as they Go-To-Market across APAC.
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Read more about Humanisation & our why here, or get in contact with Cat@Humanisation.com
