2016 was jampacked with so many discoveries and technological advancements, and it looks like the tech world has no plans of slowing down in 2017.
From augmented and virtual realities to artificial intelligence and new versions of wearable devices, 2017 has it all in store for you.
Augmented, Virtual And Mixed Reality
The year 2016 saw the intregration of this technology into the market. The boom of the Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality technology lies in the presentation of an altered or different world that immerses users in. The market for this technology is expected to double in 2017 with the number of companies, offering the technology, increasing by 48 percent.
From game consoles to individual devices, this technology and its many possible platforms are said to flourish even further. Even tech giant Apple looks like it will be joining the ranks of AR in 2017 after CEO Tim Cook saw abundant commercial opportunity in the technology. With the many products already on the market, the hype for such products could rise in the coming year.
Self-Driving Cars
Formerly seen as a thing of the future, some major developments in self-driving cars continued in 2016; others slowed down.
Leading the pack, however, are Tesla and Google with Waymo, a product they developed with partner Chrysler. The launch of this technology has paved the way for autonomous driving. You can see the appeal, after all. Machines will follow all traffic rules; by all accounts, they are also much less prone to road rage.
Don't be too excited, though, because even the products of tech giants are still in their testing phase and are not likely to hit the market anytime soon. What's more, the technology is still ridden with questions about safety, legality, and the possible effects it may have on humans, such as being too relaxed and unprepared for accidents.
Wearable Devices
As if smartphones weren't enough to keep people busy, wearable devices also dominated the lives of people in 2016. They are expected to continue their success in 2017. From fitness trackers to smart glasses and smartwatches, 2017 has it all in store for consumers to keep themselves online and automate their already busy lives.
Expected newsmakers in 2017 are hybrid wearables that look classic but retain their smart functionalities.
Artificial Intelligence
A.I. has been around for a while now, but they're mostly known for being virtual assistants in your pocket. However, the vast A.I. developments made in 2016 opened new doors for even further research and improvements. Already making big news is Apple's interest in the use of artificial intelligence for future versions of their flagship iPhone.
Google, Facebook, and Microsoft also expressed their interest, or have already dabbled, in the technology. Google, for example, has already developed a number of technologies, such as WaveNet or AlphaGo that are based on artificial intelligence, and it looks like they don't plan to slow down anytime soon.
The Cloud Or Internet Of Things
Companies that use IoT (Internet of Things) deal with a lot of data that they gather from products. That is where the Cloud comes in. Cisco predicts that soon, 92 percent of data will be cloud-borne.
