From hovering home security cameras to DNA testing for your pet dog, the New Year will be anything but boring.
2020 and 2021 have been eventful years, to put it mildly. Especially so in tech, where we’ve all discovered just how much we need computing devices and connectivity to keep our lives running as smoothly as possible. 2022 will likely be as tech-filled as ever, but in ways both subtly and dramatically different from the year gone by.
Here are our tech trend predictions for the New Year.
Robots and automation
Robots have been a long-time fixture of future-gazing. 2022 isn’t likely to see android helpers, but automated helpers in other forms.
Amazon’s Ring Always Home Cam is a security camera drone designed to fly around a storey of your home, so you can get peace of mind while you’re away without having to install fixed cameras all over the place. Tipped to finally see the light of day in the year ahead, it will likely spur and inspire competitors – especially if it takes off in the popular imagination.
The automatons we already have will likely become even more useful, from robot vacuum cleaners that can empty themselves to more tamper-resistant cat feeders that’ll alert you if your greedy mog tries to prise it open.
Smart home kit
Worries about home energy bills may die down a bit once winter passes. Even so, canny domestic gods and goddesses will be on the lookout for ways to warm, cool and light their homes without it costing the earth. Thankfully, there’s plenty of smart home kit that can do just that from thermostats and light bulbs to fans and blinds. None of this tech is new, but the need for it has never been greater.
Home fitness
Not everyone will have the space to exercise at home, or indeed want to do so. But for the able and willing, the allure of getting fit away from judgmental eyes while saving on gym fees may be irresistible. It’s also never been easier, from exercise kit such as Peloton bikes to online streaming ‘classes’ such as Apple Fitness+. It’s no stretch to think that 2022 will see even more options arrive.
Pre-loved kit
Not everyone needs the latest and greatest devices. That’s likely to lead to a surge of interest in pre-owned, second-hand devices. This can not only save you money, but is also good for the environment as older devices have useful lives for longer. Plus, at the time of writing, a global chip shortage means that the wait times for some shiny new devices is longer than usual. But there’s no need to wait with the selection of refurbished devices available from both Vodafone and VOXI.
Travel bug
2022 will likely see more of us holiday abroad (fingers crossed) compared to the past 24 months. That’ll mean more of us picking up handy mobile accessories from fast charging power banks and GPS luggage trackers to noise cancelling earphones for making clanking trains and planes more bearable. Plus, the latest advancements in AI will make translation apps less tongue-tied and more useful than ever.
DNA
Budding genealogists and hypochondriacs alike have been flocking to DNA testing services. Concerns about privacy and their accuracy will probably dampen their popularity, but there’s a related service that’s more fun: DNA testing for your pets. If you’ve ever wondered whether Fido being part-Afghan hound is just a shaggy dog story or if Flopsy and Mopsy really are littermates, then a pet DNA test could help you find out.
Boosters
No, not just jabs- WiFi! Complaints about the wireless range of your router are all too familiar. But there’s long been an unsung solution – range extenders, also known as boosters. Unsung, that is, until now – the Super WiFi booster included with Vodafone Pro Broadband uses the latest technology to help bring reliable WiFi to every room of your home.
VR creativity
Widespread virtual reality (VR) always seem to be just on the horizon. Facebook has made headlines recently with its plans for an online VR ‘metaverse’. What it, or any VR product, needs to succeed though is a dash of creativity and self-expression. A way for people to create and share their creativity in VR – its own version of Fortnite skins, Instagram Stories or TikTok loops. As to what form that will take in VR, only time will tell.
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