We long for an integrated, hasslefree life, one where things have fallen into place, where constant things function well, where we can do what we want when we want to.
Moving into the realm of technology we see an uncluttered world, no wires or cables or plugs, fine security, satisfactory privacy. Huge offerings of all kinds.
The social networks will be important, to be found everywhere, very different from today, lots of new functions, many participants trying to pull you into their garden, which often is a walled garden.
You will live a place-independent life – everything will be available where you are. You can use all your devices to access content, software, buy hardware, find information. You can create a life of your own choosing, pick the level of engagement you want.
Companies are trying to develop and perfect such a world, and it is all going to be placed in the cloud. Everything will be huge and availability will be formidable. Search is automatic, just utter some words and the systems will find it for you, even do it for you. You will be found too – wherever you are you will be found so that you can consume the offerings you have decided to use: hardware, software, contents, games, services, whatever.
You will be able to plan, see what was done, as the Timeline or similar will assist you. There will be a fusion of private life and commerce, business will get very near you, a sort of symbiosis maybe.
In a short span of time we have seen smartphones, tablets, pads, computers, TV, cameras, game consoles becoming ubiquitous and better and better. We are now approaching a situation of living a mobile life – you can find it and use it wherever you are. And this is just the beginning. All types of equipment will be integrated, connected, availability will be common, everybody will take part.
So a meeting of producers and consumers will yield business opportunities on a grand scale. Unit prices are going down, most people can afford participation, it will become huge.
It is about universal access, and it is of course all about making money on equipment, content, services, software, hardware, systems.
The players at the top of the chain at the moment seem to be Amazon, Apple, Google, Nokia, Microsoft, TV stations and others may step forward. They are all different now, all do bits of it now, but a kind of convergence will be seen.
The big challenge is who will be best at monetizing this new system that is being built – advertising, content, sales of hardware and software. New systems like Siri from Apple will soon have many competitors, the development of new equipment, new interfaces, better integration based on digital wireless devices penetrating all areas of our lives. Mobile advertising will soon hit you in new ways. Artificial intelligence will emerge.
The new technology of holographics, 4g, faster nets, new developments we have not yet thought of will come. Strengthening the internet of companies, bureaucracies, homes, public places so that SIRI and her friends will work well is maybe the biggest task ahead.
It will all influence our lives and most of what we do, communication, participation will increase. New concepts will be developed and old ones like TV-stations will fold or dramatically change. New infrastructures are in the making.
This is about the future of our societies, of business, of our culture as it will change things profoundly and make all sort of things possible. It is not mainly about equipment, it is about technical changes changing society.
Gradually everything will be truly mobile. The chase is on, and the changes will be big, and it will be fun.