2014 may not seem like a lifetime ago, but in the last decade the world has changed rapidly, particularly in the area of technology.
Back in 2014, there was a deadly Ebola outbreak in Africa, Oil prices crashed, and economies in Europe stalled. However, despite these various setbacks, the human race found a way to progress, and we continued to move forward.
We now stand in 2024 – the COVID-19 pandemic has been beaten, there is a different President in the White House, and we have a range of new challenges to face. In this 10-year span, many things have changed, and in this article, we want to look at how technology has moved on and how it has helped shape the world we live in today.
Many Industries Have Moved Online
The internet continues to be a main factor for change and the developments of new technologies, and this is seen in the way many industries and businesses have shifted predominantly to an online audience.
For example, the online casino and Sportsbetting industries have eclipsed their physical counterparts. Where there used to be hundreds of high-street bookmakers and bricks and mortar casinos, there are now thousands of online casinos and sportsbooks that anyone can access from their smartphone or PC.
These platforms have so much to offer for customers such as various casinos bonuses and for more information, you can visit: https://www.irishluck.ie/casino-bonus. They also have incredible accessibility and offer far greater game and betting varieties than their physical counterparts.
Other examples include fashion retailers as we see a decline in high-street shops. There are huge online fashion retailers like SHIEN who don’t even have stores.
Cash Payments are Becoming Less Important
As the years progress, the relevance and use of cash becomes less important. Indeed, we don’t think it’s out of the question to envision a world where all businesses operate cashless. As older generations move on, the use of cash becomes less prevalent.
This has been hastened by the incredible availability of online payments, payment cards, and payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay. It’s so much easier to simply whip out your debit card or credit card and make a contactless payment than it is to go to an ATM, withdraw cash, and then carry a load of small change around.
While many physical businesses do still accept cash, we are seeing an increase in card-only establishments. Indeed, at many supermarkets you can find self-service checkouts that only accept card payments.
AI Technology is Revolutionizing How we Work
The development of machine learning (commonly referred to as AI technology) has ramped-up in the last 5 years when it wasn’t even an afterthought in 2014.
We now have access to amazing tools that can transform the way we work and improve productivity such as ChatGPT. These advanced AI learning models can be asked questions and give incredibly accurate answers based on the information they have been fed or what they find from the internet.
AI is also making it’s way into multiple businesses to improve productivity. It can be used in an analytical way to consume and analyze vast amounts of data that the human brain could never process. It’s also making systems more effective and intelligent.
As time progresses, the complexity of these machine learning algorithms should only increase, and we predict AI technology will look vastly different in 2034.
The World has Become Hyperconnected
Sure, things were relatively connected in 2014, but not to the degree they are in 2024. The internet, smartphones, and social media have been the driving forces behind this state of hyperconnectivity.
We now have access to virtually any information or data we want instantly. All we have to do is open our smartphone and do a quick Google search, or log on to our social media account to get some news updates or entertainment.
Similarly, we can speak to people on the other side of the world instantly using IM apps like WhatsApp and Messenger. Never has there been a time in humanity where the world has been so connected on a global scale and has access to so much information.
Businesses is More on a Global Scale due to the Internet and eCommerce
Similar to how we have become hyperconnected, technology has pushed business to a more global scale. Compared to a decade ago, eCommerce has developed greatly and it’s so easy to market your business on an international level. Businesses are becoming more adventurous and ambitious and moving into global markets Moreso than ever.
This has been aided by the excellent availability of global transport and shipping and means that it’s no longer such a barrier to ship goods to customers halfway around the world.
Renewable Energy Sources are Widely Available
Although countries like the USA and China still have room to grow in this area, in the last decade we have seen growth in the usage and availability of renewable energy technology. Examples of renewable energy sources include:
- Solar panels
- Wind turbines
- Hydroelectric power
- Ocean energy
- Bio energy
- Nuclear energy
You only have to walk down your street or through your city to see houses and businesses that have invested in solar power. Indeed, this renewable energy source on its own has become much more accessible with many governments offering grants for the installation of this renewable energy device.
Wind farms are sprouting up everywhere, and some businesses have installed smaller wind turbines to generate electricity for their premises. We have also seen the development of larger-scale renewable energy sources such as nuclear power plants, hydroelectric dams, and tidal energy systems.
Technology has allowed the world to become much more sustainable and environmentally friendly and hopefully the next decade sees this trend continuing.
Smartphones are Now an Essential Item
Perhaps the biggest change has been the use and development of smartphone technology. Yes, smartphones were around in 2014, but their technology was rather limited compared to what we have access to today. For example, popular smartphones back then included the Samsung Galaxy S5, Nokia Lumia, and Sony Xperia.
Today we have the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6, iPhone 15 Pro, and Google Pixel 8. These smartphones are now essentially minicomputers. Their processing power has improved vastly, as has the quality of touchscreen technology and display quality.
The photography technology of smartphones is ridiculous too. Back in 2014, smartphones had OK cameras and you could take a decent photo. Today, phones like the Google Pixel 8 have cameras that rival pro DSLR cameras with high resolution imaging and a range of different lens options.
The connectivity of smartphones has also been improved due to the development of WiFi networks and 5G networks. These make streaming, gaming, and downloading items on your phone a doddle.
How Will Technology Change in the Next Decade?
From 2014 to 2024 we have seen some incredible technological developments. Oftentimes people think that we are nearing our peak development and that things won’t progress much further. We don’t think that though! You only have to look at how society is developing and how people are pushing the boundaries in different fields. We believe in human ingenuity and our spirit and are excited to see what technological developments the next 10 years brings!