There is no doubt that the introduction of new and improved technologies has made a lasting impact on our lives. In fact, technological innovations has helped us adapt to the widespread disruption that a global pandemic wrought on the way we live, work, learn, communicate and socialise with surprising speed and agility. It was also these innovations that helped keep us connected when we were required to stay apart.
We can see how the power of technology improves our daily lives and we know that the speed at which new technologies is introduced is, if anything, going to speed up exponentially. These technologies will keep getting better, faster and fit more seamlessly into our lives to enable us to do more and stay connected in a rapidly changing and uncertain world.
How then are we going to see this play out in the coming months and years? What can we expect, and what should we be looking out for as the pace of tech innovations continue to accelerate?
Critically, mobile technology is increasingly going to be harnessed for good. Aside from mobile’s obvious benefits of bringing the world to us in the palm of our hands, it also increasingly acts as a driver for good. We are seeing some incredible advances in using the processing power of smartphones to analyse massive amounts of complex data to speed up vital cancer and coronavirus research – all while the owners of these smartphones sleep.
It is truly taking the notion of “I could do it in my sleep” to another level. And it is only one example of the work that is taking place to use technology for good. More broadly, mobile and other emerging technologies will help improve healthcare. The World Economic Forum (WEF), for example, predicted that AI-powered technology and 5G will shift our approach to healthcare, our diets and underlying health, as well as drive more high-capacity services like telehealth, telesurgery and ER services.
The power and potential of 5G is by no means a new phenomenon; it first emerged in 2018 and has since grown into a force for change. According to WEF Technology Pioneer Maha Achour, “the roll-out of 5G creates markets that we only imagine – like self-driving bots, along with a mobility-as-a-service economy – and others we can’t imagine, enabling next generations to invent thriving markets and prosperous causes”.
Bringing people together even when we’re apart
These new markets, services and causes will also drive greater connections in an age where being and staying connected is so critical and will not necessarily be possible in-person. There are already countless examples of technologies and apps that are helping bring people together even while we are apart, letting us sync our screens, watch and talk about our favourite programmes or play games with each other while we video chat, or even exercise together.
Being able to come together virtually and still share our interests with our loved ones requires an underpinning ecosystem – such as Android – which provides us with the opportunity to tap into hyper-personalised experiences that empowers us to make memories and chase success.
An example of this is how HMD Global ambassador, professional skateboarder and 3X Guinness World Record holder, Jean-marc Johannes uses his mobile phone for good through sharing inspirational content about his passions with his community and is able to realise his dreams of helping others through his humanitarian initiative, Fill The Gap.
Digital ecosystems are becoming ever more interconnected to allow their users to become more connected and embrace our passions and have them seamlessly fit into our lives – and it is becoming more and more clear that this is the case with the blurring of physical and virtual worlds.
Of course, when we’re dealing with connected worlds that blur the physical with the virtual, safety and security become a key concern. In a digital-first world rife with cybercrime, trust, privacy and security need to act as the solid foundation of every technology’s function and capability.
We invest heavily in security updates and patches – leading the ranks for the second year running in the most and frequently software and security updates – to ensure that our customers are able to continue to connect with each other and benefit from the power of technology safely and securely. Our products are built to last and designed with human happiness in mind, providing the most relevant, up to date and secure technology without compromising on service and durability.
Charles Dickens famously said: “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times”. This has never been truer: despite the ongoing uncertainty and disruption caused by the pandemic, technology and the continuing innovations we are seeing in this space are helping bridge the gap, keep us connected with each other and make the world more human.
