The technology that will invade our lives in 2021

Here is what it means. Let’s say your family has smartphones, several computers, and a game console. If all of them are used to consume large amounts of data – for streaming video, for example – Wi-Fi 6 does a better job of providing bandwidth to all devices at the same time than letting one device monopolize it. the major part .

Efficiency is especially important as more of our products connect to the Internet, from watches and televisions to scales and thermostats. On average, the number of Internet-connected devices owned per person is expected to climb to around four by 2023, from two in 2018, according to a Cisco study.

3. Technology that allows us to keep our hands between us.

The past year has been an inflection point for mobile payments. For security reasons, even the hard-core cash-only ones, such as farmers’ market merchants and food trucks, have started accepting mobile payments.

Overall, 67% of U.S. retailers accept contactless payments, up from 40% in 2019, according to a Forrester survey. Of those polled, 19% said they made a digital payment at a store for the first time in May.

Hands-free technology doesn’t stop at mobile wallets. The so-called Ultra-Wide Band, a relatively new radio technology, could also find its moment this year. The technology, which uses radio waves to detect objects with extreme precision, has not been used much since its debut on smartphones about two years ago. But the need for contactless experiences could change that, said Ms. Milanesi of Creative Strategies.

So how do you use the ultra-wideband? Let’s say you have a smartphone and a cafe has a tablet, and both are equipped with radio technology. If you stand in front of the tablet, it can detect your phone and accept payment from you (not the person behind you online). The technology could also be used to allow employees to enter buildings and start cars without physical keys.

4. Technology that virtualizes work and personal care.

The pandemic has made it clear that virtualized experiences like video meetings and Zoom yoga are viable substitutes for reality, whether you embrace them or endure them. In 2021, expect more products to be offered to digitize the way we work and stay healthy.