2020 was a year of great change for Vantiq and the world. While there were obvious setbacks, exciting technological innovations and opportunities have sprung up that will ensure our near future is brighter, safer, and smarter. Together with our global network of partners, we were proud to empower people and businesses to get back to work safely, improve supply chain efficiency, facilitate safer travel, and implement several other real-time systems that will improve and save lives.
Looking ahead, we reached out to our partners to gather predictions on what 2021 will hold for technology as businesses gear up for their digital transformation endeavors.
1. The Demand for Real-Time Monitoring Will Make IoT and Wearables Mainstream
As the need for connected applications that monitor things in real time increases, IoT devices and sensors will be at the forefront of enabling these digital solutions. The recent need to frequently check peoples’ vitals for early warning signs of infection brings wearable sensor technology from luxury, nice-to-have items, to critical components of a healthy society.
Cecilia Harvey, CEO of Hyve Dynamics agrees, stating, “The growth of remote health and wellness monitoring will be the most important technology trend in 2021 that has led to a surge in demand for smart sensor technology. We are engaging with wearable manufacturers, athletic apparel companies, healthcare providers, remote monitoring companies, and telemedicine companies that want to use our sensors to improve the precision of biometric data.”
2. Contactless and Digitally-Enhanced Smart Spaces will be the Norm
Solutions once regarded as conveniences such as mobile ordering, contactless shopping, and digital reservations are now becoming expectations in our everyday transactions. The pandemic forced everyone from large consumer stores likes Target to small mom and pop shops to adopt technology to improve the safety and security of their environments.
“Convenience and efficiency is a post-COVID new normal and will be prioritized in 2021. We’ve all come to expect (and enjoy) a new level of convenience in our mobile/online interactions, whether that’s ordering dinner online, curbside pickup, or office desk reservations,” says Kevin Tate, CRO at Rigado.
Expectations will push businesses such as retailers to adopt smarter digital spaces for the sake of public health and remain competitive through implementing innovative technologies.
Tate expands, “Our offices, stores, and restaurants are all starting to get smarter and faster, largely because we expect them to in order to match the level of convenience and efficiency consumers come to expect.”
Simon Jones, COO of Store Intelligence explains, “Lots of things are going to become contactless. You’re going to just want to pay as you pick something up and walk out the store. We’ve seen that with some of the other high-tech stores. The small ones are out there already.”
The consumer landscape is changing before our eyes with digitally-enhanced solutions from Vantiq partners such as Smart Shopping Carts from Cust2Mate and Electronic Price Tags from Store Intelligence.
3. Adoption of Cloud/Edge Computing and AI/Machine Learning Technologies will Accelerate
The increasing amount of real-time data flow requires businesses to rely on next-generation computing standards to successfully remain operational and accommodate new technologies such as 5G and Edge. As businesses adopt these technologies, possibilities grow exponentially for cutting-edge solutions to be created.
“Cloud and edge computing are the most important technology trends making an impact on our business in 2021. Also, AI and machine learning are not going to be mere buzz or hype, but become mainstream in business ops and IT,” remarks Narayan Chathanur, Senior Director, Cloud-Native Dev & Cloud-Integration Suites at Infosys.
Leaving 2020 behind, innovators are looking ahead to make environments smarter and safer, and they now have the tools at their disposal to bring these solutions to life.
We wish you and your families good health and happy holidays as we move into the new year and look forward to a transformational 2021.
Interested in making the next step in your digital transformation in 2021? Let us know!
