Every year, many analytical companies sum up the results of the year, analyzing the latest trends and their growth in popularity. However, in this article, we decided to consider the trends of not one year, but a whole decade. It turned out to be very productive in terms of the development of various technologies. We have compiled a list of technologies that have become the most promising.
1. 5G Internet
For 10 years, the speed of the Internet has increased significantly. In 2010, mobile phones could expect speeds of around 1.5-2 Mbps. At that time 4G was only in the plans, and most countries used 3G / IMT-2000.
Just in 2010, they launched the fastest standard in CDMA2000 – EV-DO Rev. B. It provided speeds up to 4.9 Mbps but was not available to everyone.
Further, the development of the speed of the Internet was rapid. In 2011/2012, they launched full-fledged 4G. As of 2019, 4G LTE has been rolled out in 87 countries around the world. The average speed of available 4G is 100 Mbps.
In 2019, South Korea became the first country to officially launch a 5G network in its own country. But China is leading in the development of 5G networks in its territory. And research on how the technology works shows it’s 945% faster than 4G. Thanks to this technology, the platforms of many betting companies and casinos began to work much faster – for example, by the way, using 22Bet login you can get good bonuses and a chance to earn big money.
2. Electric cars and unmanned vehicles
Although the technologies are different, we decided to combine them into one item. The electric car is not a new technology. Even more: the first car powered by electricity appeared 40 years earlier than the car with an internal combustion engine. But the real mass production of electric vehicles began only in the last 10 years.
In 2010, the number of all-electric vehicles sold worldwide was less than 100,000. In 2020, more than 2.3 million were sold.
The total number of electric cars currently in use exceeds 4.79 million. This is still small in the global market (about 3%), but its popularity is growing exponentially.
Interestingly, more than half (53.9%) of electric cars drive on China’s roads. And trends show that the demand for such machines will only increase.
Now a little about drones. Waymo, a subsidiary of Google, has been working with drones since 2016. Mainly for the Google Maps service, but not only. For example, in Phoenix, Arizona, the company launched an unmanned taxi. And to date, driverless cars from Waymo have traveled a total of more than 32 million km.
The technology is actively developing. And although the mass production of drones has not yet begun, according to McKinsey, the market for unmanned vehicles by 2030 will be $ 500 billion.
3. 3D printing
This technology is also far from new. The world’s first 3D printer was created back in 1983. But the real boom in 3D printing happened only in the 2010s.
Why is that? Until 2008, stereo printing was limited to a single material – ABC plastic. Therefore, the practical usefulness was rather narrow. The plastic, which was originally used in printers, could expand when cured, which limited the accuracy of printing. Now, 3D printers operate on more than a hundred materials, from nylon to metals and cement.
In 2010, the metal body of a car was printed for the first time, and in 2011, a fully functional aircraft fuselage was printed. Now, with the help of stereo printing, you can create residential buildings, spare parts for spacecraft, tracks for microcircuits, and even completely edible food products.
With the help of 3D printing, it is possible to create implants of any complexity, up to neuroprostheses, and even blood vessels. The potential of technology is very powerful in a variety of areas. That is why she is here.
4. VR and AR
Virtual reality as we know it now became possible in 2012 with the release of the Oculus headset. It quickly became clear that VR and AR are not only about games and entertainment. They have much more potential. Already, virtual reality is used to treat post-traumatic syndrome in the military, with its help in training novice pilots and surgeons. In China, virtual reality is even being used to treat drug addicts.
According to Statista, in 2020 the market for virtual and augmented reality is estimated at $12 billion. But researchers expect strong growth – in 2024, according to analysts, the value of this market will be already $72 billion. For most users, VR is a good way to spend their free time, but for b2b and narrow professional areas, its possibilities are much greater.