What is it? Many "things" are now being built to have WiFi connectivity, meaning they can be connected to the Internet—and to each other. Hence, the Internet of Things, or IoT, has already enabled devices, home appliances, cars, and much more to be connected to and exchange data over the Internet.
Have you ever locked your doors remotely, preheated your oven on your way home from the latest grocery run, or set up a new temperature in the house without disturbing your partner who's on a work call in the other room next to the thermostat? If you've done so, it's using IoT. What's more, businesses also have much to gain from it. The IoT can enable better safety, efficiency, and decision-making for businesses as data is collected and analyzed. It can allow predictive maintenance, speed up medical care, and improve client service, to name a few benefits.
Forecasts suggest that by 2030 around 50 billion of these IoT devices will be in use worldwide, creating a massive web of interconnected devices spanning everything from smartphones to kitchen appliances. The global spending for the Internet of Things (IoT) is forecast to reach 1.1 trillion U.S. dollars in 2022.
The next notable high tech that will change how we work and live is Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). VR immerses the user in an environment, while AR enhances their existing surroundings. Although this technology has primarily been used for gaming so far, it has more practical uses: for example, the Virtual Ship software is used for training the U.S. Navy, Army, and Coast Guard ship captains.
In a year where we're all trying to find remote solutions, VR and AR are promising options. In 2021, we can expect these forms of technologies to be further integrated into our lives since they have enormous potential in training, entertainment, education, marketing, and even rehabilitation after an injury. Either could be used to train doctors to do surgery, offer museum-goers a deeper experience, enhance theme parks, or even enhance marketing, as with this Pepsi Max bus shelter.
While cybersecurity might not seem new, this technology is advancing as fast as cyber threats are diversifying. As long as we have hackers, cybersecurity will remain a much-needed high-tech, especially as business operations and transactions are increasingly moving online due to the pandemic. As proof of the vital need for cybersecurity professionals, the number of cybersecurity jobs has tripled since 2014. Also, the need for proper cybersecurity is so high that it's estimated that by 2021, $6 trillion will have been spent globally on cybersecurity.