A Time of Technological Flux
With the use of smartphones and mobile devices post anything from almost anywhere to social media, it’s hard to remember a time without them. People are using their devices to look up reviews and research products before making a purchase. The technological advancements made in the last two decades is exciting!
Early-Mid 2010s Technological Advancements
In this section, we will review six of the most innovative technological advancements and products that were released from 2010-2015.
The iPad wasn’t just the tablet that surpassed user expectations of being ‘just a bigger iPhone’, it ushered in a new category of computing devices. It was lightweight, fast, versatile, but most importantly, it was fun!
Furthermore, iPad sales skyrocketed after businesses began to use them in point-of-sale terminals, for presentations, in-cab entertainment, gym liability waivers, and more. In addition, PC sales plummeted during this time, which was expected.
Google unveiled its first-ever Chromebooks in 2011 from Acer and Samsung. Google’s lightweight computer created a new market for cheaper laptops created for users who only need the basics and an internet connection. Even in 2020, Chromebooks are quite popular in schools and generally hold up better than tablets.
The first model of the Raspberry Pi completely revolutionized the way that we think of modern-day, cheap computing. Since its debut, the Raspberry Pi has continued to improve and boasts a plethora of new features like gigabit Ethernet and more processing power.
It is incredibly versatile. For instance, people have used Raspberry Pi boards to print documents, manage media, create a full-sized arcade machine, a Game Boy kit, a Minecraft game server, and more!
Both Sony and Microsoft released new game consoles boasting cutting-edge graphics, high-profile releases, and multiplayer platformers. Furthermore, in terms of units sold, Sony crushed Microsoft, but as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X continue to pick up speed, we may see that shift this holiday season.
Windows 7 had its own issues, but Windows 8 and its successor, Windows 8.1, were a complete disaster. Windows 10 was intended to be an attempt for Microsoft to modernize its OS while introducing features like Universal Windows Apps.
However, despite all of the bells and whistles offered, Windows 10 didn’t dethrone Windows 7 until January 2019. As of January 14, 2020 Windows 7 support has ended, marking its 10th and final year of product support.
Move aside, Siri, Alexa is now the queen of voice assistants. Alexa and Echo Dot continue to display an ever-growing list of features and skills as they compete with Google Assistant and Cortana.
Meanwhile, after a few issues with the always-on voice-activated devices, an additional set of privacy-focused voice commands were released including, “Alexa, tell me what you heard”, “Alexa, delete what I just said,” or, “Alexa, delete everything I said today.”
Mid-Late 2010s Technological Advancements
While the previous decade saw the release of home-based devices, the product and software releases during the latter half of the 2010s sparked yet another shift in trending technology.
Firstly, Pokemon Go was released in summer 2016, and showcased the potential of smartphone-based AR (augmented reality). This led to thousands of people wandering outside catching Pokemon, exploring businesses and public parks all around the globe.
Secondly, the Nintendo Switch is an unparalleled achievement in gaming console innovation. The Switch is a portable gaming experience that has games for the whole family.
Thirdly, the Apple Watch Series 4 was released with not only a larger screen, but with several new features. The Apple Watch Series 4 has an electrical heart sensor and a re-engineered Digital Crown with haptic feedback.
Ultimately, the Series 4 set a new standard by including automatic workout detection, yoga and hiking workouts, cadence and pace alerts for runners, and many others.
Fourthly, digital streaming services like Disney+ and Apple TV+ have been growing exponentially since their launches this past November.
Moreover, these two are only a couple of the most popular video streaming services that offer feature films and TV shows on your computers and mobile devices. Other services include HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, Crunchroll.
Lastly, though 2020 has not come to a close just yet, 5G has become the new wireless standard. 5G offers improvements to its predecessor, such as low latency, intelligent power consumption, and high device density.
Further, 5G will eventually make augmented reality, smart cities, and connected vehicles possible.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, the 2010s-2020s saw some incredibly innovative products and software releases. In contrast to the previous 20 years, technology has become more readily available, in addition to being utilized every day by millions of individuals. Similarly, a prominent indicator of this shift is that the daily time spent online on mobile devices increased from 32 minutes in 2011 to 132 minutes in 2019.
Above all, we want to hear from you! Let us know which of these products from the last 20 years have benefited you the most in the comments section below or contact us.
Resources & Further Reading
Gewirtz, D. (2019, June 28). Technology that changed us: The 2010s, from Amazon Echo to Pokémon Go. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.zdnet.com/article/technology-that-changed-us-the-2010s/
Gordon, A. (2019, December 17). The 10 biggest tech breakthroughs of the 2010s. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.csail.mit.edu/news/10-biggest-tech-breakthroughs-2010s
Maddox, T. (2020, June 10). Top 10 emerging technologies of 2020: Winners and losers. Retrieved October 13, 2020, from https://www.techrepublic.com/article/top-10-emerging-technologies-of-2020-winners-and-losers/
Martineau, P. (2020, January/February). 2000 vs. 2020: How Far Has Gov Tech Come in Two Decades? Retrieved October 13, 2020, from https://www.govtech.com/computing/2000-vs-2020-How-Far-Has-Gov-Tech-Come-in-Two-Decades.html
Marvin, R. (2019, November 22). The Most Iconic Tech Innovations of the 2010s. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.pcmag.com/news/the-most-iconic-tech-innovations-of-the-2010s
Palandrani, P. (2020, February 20). A Decade of Change: How Tech Evolved in the 2010s and What’s In Store for the 2020s. Retrieved October 13, 2020, from https://www.globalxetfs.com/a-decade-of-change-how-tech-evolved-in-the-2010s-and-whats-in-store-for-the-2020s/