Top Five Technology Trends for 2021

Although we’re still not through the crazy year that has been 2020 and much still remains uncertain, one thing can be said for sure: technology has been just as affected as many other parts of our daily lives this year. In recognizing this, we have wondered how technology will change and morph in the coming year. After all, the most important technology trends of today will play a huge part in the ways that people and businesses handle the challenges still ahead. Although the biggest technology trends of 2021 are still a ways off, it is important that we identify and start to think about these trends today. This is because these technology trends will be the driving force in managing changes that we have yet to face.

Today, TeknaByte will be talking about the top five biggest technology trends for 2021 that we can expect to see in the near future. Although we don’t know what to expect from COVID-19 in the coming months, the changes that it has brought on (specifically in the technology sector) will happen regardless of the pandemic. Some of the technology trends we expect to see in the coming year will play a vital role in our return to “normalcy”, while others will prove helpful in assisting us as we try to understand and navigate the changes brought on by COVID-19. Let’s get started!

Artificial Intelligence

According to Forbes, one of the biggest technology trends we can expect to see in 2021 involves artificial intelligence. In the coming year, artificial intelligence is set to become an even more valuable tool in helping to navigate the world around us. In the age of COVID-19, we are constantly collecting data surrounding infection rates, healthcare, and the rate of success in regards to the measures we put in place to combat the spread of the infection. In 2021, we can expect to see artificial intelligence become more useful as we use machine-learning algorithms to become better informed about the solutions that artificial intelligence brings to our attention.

So how will artificial intelligence be used in 2021 specifically? One of the biggest changes that we are likely to see involves the use of computer vision systems to monitor the capacity of public areas, and these self-learning algorithms will be used to spot connections and insight that would otherwise go unnoticed by manual human observation. These systems will help us predict the need for services from hospitals as well as allow administrators to make more informed decisions about when, where, and how to deploy their resources.

The Rise of As-a-Service

The second technology trend that we can expect to see in 2021 involves the rise of “as-a-service.” The term “as-a-service” refers to the provision of services that we need in order to work through on-demand and cloud-based platforms. As-a-service, in fact, is the reason that we can expect to see so many businesses utilizing AI and robotics in their day-to-day operations, regardless of their size or budget.

With the ongoing pandemic, we have seen many companies that rely on cloud-based platforms in order to provide meaningful scalable solutions as-a-service, and these companies seem to be thriving. Zoom is one example of this. The company has quickly become a household name and this is, in part, thanks to the speed with which the company was able to add servers, basically increasing the coverage and quality of service of the company. This was possible because of its cloud-based nature, as well as the company’s partnership with its own service providers. When demand for the type of product that Zoom offers became high, they were quickly able to rise to the occasion. We can likely expect to see more examples of success based on the rise of the as-a-service company.

Increased Connectivity and 5G

Another technology trend that we can expect to gain steam in 2021 is increased connectivity thanks to the wide implementation of 5G. Faster and more reliable internet means so much more in this day and age than the ability to load web pages quickly. When 3G was implemented, web browsing became a possibility on mobile devices. When 4G was introduced, there was extreme growth in the prospect of streaming video and music platforms due to the bandwidth increase. With the wide implementation of 5G that we expect to see in the year 2021, even more will be made possible.

So what does the wide implementation of 5G really mean? What we are likely to see is a growth in advanced technologies such as augmented and virtual reality as well as cloud-based gaming platforms. 5G also stands a chance to make cable and fiber-based networks a thing of the past as these services are based around a need to be tethered to a singular location, something 5G will rise above. Put simply, the increased connectivity that 5G is likely to bring about in our day-to-day lives is what makes so many of the other trends that we are discussing on this list possible. Further, as businesses look to increase automation across their workforces, 5G will be heavily relied upon.

Distributed Cloud

In 2021, we can expect to see a shift towards distributed cloud options. Distributed cloud, according to Gartner refers to a situation in which cloud services are distributed to a variety of physical locations all while the operation, evolution, and governance all remain the responsibility of the public cloud provider. Distributed cloud has been referred to, as of late, as the future of cloud.

Through distributed cloud, businesses have the ability to keep these services closer. This is beneficial for a variety of reasons, including the fact that it helps with low-latency scenarios, helps accommodate laws that dictate the use of data, and reduces overall data costs. While managing your own private cloud can be complex and costly, distributed cloud allows organizations to still benefit from the use of a public cloud without having to manage a private one.

Drones, Vehicle Automation, and Robotics

Finally, the last technology trend of 2021 that we should be on the lookout for in the coming months is an increased use of drones, vehicle automation, and robotics. With the number of people using public transport from week to week in some locations, efforts built around self-driving vehicles, for example, are expected to gain substantial traction in 2021.

In regards to robotics, we can expect to see an increased importance in the emergence of robots in the living sector This will be due, in part, to the need to find a safe way to interact with members of society who tend to be the most vulnerable to infection, such as the elderly population. While robotics will not take the place of a human entirely, we can expect robotics to open new lines of communication as well as to simply provide companionship at times where it may be deemed unsafe for nursing staff to be sent into homes.

Finally, in regards to the increased use of drones, we are likely to observe an increase in drones being used to deliver medicine as well as to act as a monitor in public areas in order to identify locations that may be at an increased risk of viral transmission.

Manage Changes in Technology with TeknaByte

As you can see, there are many technology trends that we expect to make a significant difference in the way we navigate the world around us in the upcoming year. If you’re looking for an Indianapolis IT company that has your back when it comes to adapting to these changes in technology, look no further than TeknaByte! We offer all of the IT services your business needs to stay operating efficiently, giving you the necessary knowledge to evolve with changing technologies. Contact us today by calling us at (317) 620-3900!