From gadget launches to a social media overhaul, it will be interesting to see how technology will evolve in the new year, Shubhangi Shah finds out
Social media
One cannot help but start with social media, the technology that has not left a single person untouched. If 2022, with Twitter’s leadership overhaul and a continued push for Web3, is any indication, 2023 is going to be interesting.
The year 2022 saw the rise of apps like BeReal that aids users to be more authentic. Given that GenZs are big drivers of social media trends, there will be a rise in more such apps. Not just that, the type of content that will work will also lie on the authentic side rather than the professional one, according to analysts.
After taking the reins of Twitter last year, CEO Elon Musk tweeted that he might bring back Vine, the now-obsolete short-form video app, which Twitter bought in 2013. There is a bit of surprise here, though. While short-form videos have taken the Internet by storm, 2023 will see a rise in long-form videos, as per analysts.
Speaking of Twitter, the blue bird had a roller-coaster ride towards the end of last year, and this trial-and-error approach is further expected this year.
Also read: Elon Musk says Twitter 2.0 will focus on optimising ‘unregretted users-minutes’ on platform
While influencer marketing will continue to thrive, we might see a rise in e-commerce on social media.
The use of third-party cookies is expected to drop. Google has announced it will phase out the same starting in 2024. This will reduce the companies’ access to surfing data.
If the rise of micro-blogging platforms like Mastodon is any indication, we might see a further rise in more such decentralised social media platforms where the consumer is the boss and not billionaire technocrats.
In the social media space, one cannot help but mention the metaverse that got much traction after Facebook rebranded itself in 2021. Given its investments, we might phase out features on Facebook and Instagram to make people more excited about the Metaverse. Despite the announcement more than a year ago, we are yet to see Mark Zuckerberg’s vision of the metaverse.
Gadget launches
New gadget launches always stir interest, and this year too, there is less scope for disappointment. Starting with Apple, the Cupertino-based company launched an affordable 5G iPhone along with the iPhone 14 series. This year, it is expected to unveil the iPhone 15 series, along with the new 15-inch MacBook Air, Reality Pro headset, and a new MacBook Pro, as per reports.
After Apple, Samsung is probably the next one whose launches grab much attention. It is expected to come up with the Galaxy S23, which includes Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Samsung, leader in the foldable phone category, is expected to also launch the successors of Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 phones.
Google, with its launch of the Pixel 7 series in India, is expected to launch the next iteration, the Pixel 8 series, this year. OnePlus 11 is also expected to hit the shelves this year.
Xiaomi, which leads in India in terms of market share, is expected to introduce its Xiaomi 13 series, which includes Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro, and Xiaomi 13 Ultra smartphones.
The new year may also see some interesting laptop launches, many of which are in the foldable display category. The wearables segment has got much traction in India and globally. As a result, many companies have expanded to roll out wearable gadgets. While homegrown companies stand tall in this segment, the anticipated Apple Watch 9 series will be an interesting launch. Samsung, too, may unveil its Galaxy Watch 6 and 6 Pro by August.
Cybersecurity
The recent ransomware attack on the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, which crippled the medical facility’s servers for two weeks, has brought much attention to the need for cybersecurity. Despite greater awareness, the threat of ransomware and phishing attacks will continue to loom.
The year 2022 saw the roll-out of 5G in India. Although a much-needed one, the architecture is still new and needs much research to understand any loopholes that might make it susceptible to cyber attacks. Coupled with the Internet of Things (IoT), it can open further avenues to interconnected devices, while at the same time increasing vulnerability to cyber threat and even software bugs. Here the role of manufacturers is crucial. They should ensure the manufacturing of sophisticated 5G hardware and software that make them less susceptible to data breaches.
Until enterprises pay enough focus, data breaches might be a cause for concern. Although many organisations are now established on the cloud, security measures need to be updated and checked to avoid any threats.
With smartphones allowing users a host of functions, from financial transactions to social media and messaging, they are also not immune to cyber attacks. Not just that, with our lives getting more and more intertwined with this hand-held gadget, which also has a huge amount of data, malware and virus susceptibility of phones can become a trend in 2023, as per analysts.
The last but prominent one is artificial intelligence (AI). This technology coupled with machine learning has helped with personalisation, weather forecasting, and even in building automatic threat detection. But at the same time, it is also being used to develop malware and other threats that can circumvent the whole security protocols that guard the data. With the further push towards AI and much innovation in this space, how this same technology is used to cause cyber threats is a space to follow.
Web3.0
Metaverse is just one of the many elements of Web 3.0, the next stage of the Internet evolution. The core idea is that of a decentralised Internet controlled by consumers, not some Internet companies.
Despite being a journey with several glitches, this space is anticipated to grow.
The first comes Metaverse, which is expected to see innovations in several sectors. “Metaverse will find an application in all prominent sectors including education,” says Sharad Mehra, CEO of APAC Region, Global University Systems. Not just that, given that several big brands have jumped into this space, whether to just test the waters or be the first ones in this race, the advertising and marketing by them are further expected to push Metaverse to the mainstream.
However, there are some concerns. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are the pillars of metaverse. Despite enough buzz, the number of VR and AR deals in 2022 went down from 311 ($18.9 billion) in 2021 to 283 ($5 billion) this year, as per a report by Deloitte. Although this fall in investment might indicate a decline in interest in the metaverse, it is still too soon to put a question mark on the overall future of this technology.
Coming to cryptocurrency, it would be no exaggeration to say it was a complete meltdown in this space the past year. From a massive fall in token prices to several crypto companies shutting shop, and the death knell being the FTX meltdown, the year saw it all. However, digital currency continues to command traction, but with these recent cases, we might see tighter regulations. At the same time, meme cryptocurrencies might continue to appear and disappear.
Also read: How hackers are using Google Ads to target unsuspecting users searching for popular software online
The other emerging trends include DeFi, short for decentralised finance, and DAOs, or decentralised autonomous organisations.
The central bank digital currency (CBDC) might also rise in rank with more countries exploring the idea of this digital currency. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) also saw massive traction during the Covid pandemic. However, it is yet to grow beyond the digital artwork domain.
An interesting and positive development is towards greenifying Web 3.0. In the previous year, Ethereum, one of the biggest blockchains, switched from a proof-of-work to a proof-of-stake algorithm, which reportedly reduces the overall energy requirement by about 98%. Given the fact that cryptocurrencies are big polluters, more companies going the green way will be a welcome approach.
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