Organisers of the consumer electronics trade show (CES) in Las Vegas, that serves as a window into the year’s hottest tech trends, is of the opinion that 2019 will be the year of 5G or fifth-generation mobile communications, artificial intelligence (AI) and self-driving vehicles (SDVs). Fifth-generation cellular networks, which will significantly quicken mobile internet speeds, is also expected to proliferate cyber security products for home networks as consumers, nowadays, own so many devices that can connect to the Internet.
However, AI is expected to take the centre stage and those days are not away when you are always accompanied by a virtual assistant that obeys your commands so much so that it will slowly become an inevitable part of your life.
The competition is between Amazon Alexa and Google Home, two most popular artificially intelligent assistants. In a bid to become your go-to digital companion, the two tech giants have teamed up with makers of devices like thermostats, doorbells, light bulbs and car accessories to add their virtual assistants to them.
Most of the tech companies, irrespective of their size, are expected to showcase voice-controlled devices like robot vacuums, alarm clocks, refrigerators and car accessories, majority of which will be powered by Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Assistant. Google is expected to triple the size of its presence at CES this year, by unveiling a large array of products that work with Assistant. Amazon is also looking forward to implementing its vision of ‘Alexa everywhere’. The company’s goal is to expand the reach of Alexa into every part of people’s lives, including the kitchen, living room, office and the car.
However, these developments cannot take away the fact that these virtual assistants are still in the developing stage. Though self-driving cars have been one of the most talked about topics, they have a long way to go before going mainstream. Some companies have permits to test autonomous cars in certain places only. Companies like Alphabet that had launched a self-driving taxi service, Waymo, have refrained from committing to a release date for such vehicles.
These trends are important because of the universal impact they will manifest. Every consumer, industry and economy will be influenced by developments across these trends.
