Wunderman Thompson’s “The Future 100” 2022 report has just been published. You will find 100 key trends on the following themes: culture, tech & innovation, travel, marketing, food & drink, beauty, retail and commerce, luxury, health and work.
Today, we have decided to zoom in on the 10 tech & innovation trends that are emerging and that could well cause major upheavals in the digital world.
3D audio
Social media such as Instagram have fostered a “hyper-focus” on visual elements over the past
visual elements over the past decade. Now, as digital platforms mature and engagement evolves, the focus is on “multi-sensory” elements, including audio, for a truly immersive experience. This is why brands are starting to focus on 3D audio: Apple with its AirPods 3 (spatial audio), Sony with 360 Reality Audio, Cartier with immersive audio experiences…
The rise of “super-apps”
Chinese “super-apps” are facing an antitrust crackdown from the government, but their overseas offspring are booming. With Chinese tech companies facing increasingly stringent regulations, they are likely to look more overseas for growth opportunities. As a reminder, “super apps” offer multiple functions on a single seamless platform, from messaging to e-commerce to ride-sharing to payments to financial services.
Carbon neutral navigation
To address green issues, brands are rethinking their online experiences. According to Cleanfox’s February 2021 report on email pollution, “If the internet were a country, it would be the sixth largest polluter in the world.” The report also reveals that promotional emails are responsible for 2 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year in the UK. In response, brands are taking action to reduce the carbon footprint of their online activity. Now, especially as the metaverse approaches, “sustainable” practices in the online world will be more important than ever.
“Limited” social networks
A number of applications such as Social Fever, Offtime, and Freedom aim to take the focus off social media by limiting its use. Ben Grosser has also challenged existing social networking models, creating a platform that allows users to post only 100 messages for life. The idea is to limit content to improve quality. Companies are looking to get rid of the uninterrupted “noise and stream” of online content by installing restrictive settings that encourage new behaviors. The goal? To foster a healthier, more thoughtful approach to the future of social networking.
Advanced avatars
On the way to a new generation of avatars? By 2022, the avatars of the new era will not only be hyper-realistic (photorealistic), but will also reflect the diversity of the world. Some brands have already begun, such as U.S. firm Nvidia, which is already preparing for a future where 3D avatars with conversational artificial intelligence (AI) will evolve in the virtual and physical world. At a demo in late 2021, the company had presented its new Omniverse Avatar platform. “The dawn of intelligent virtual assistants is here,” Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang had said.
Developments in the face of China’s technology crackdown
Technology repression is reshaping China’s economy and society. Since late 2020, China has investigated or fined subsidiaries of its largest technology companies, Alibaba, Tencent, JD.com, Meituan, and Didi Chuxing, for anti-competitive practices. The scale of the crackdown is not surprising, given that China is the most “digitalized” country in the world. What impact will this have on Chinese consumers? They will have more choice, as rival technology ecosystems are eventually forced to collaborate with each other, especially regarding the payment solutions allowed on each platform.
The carbon technology boom
As part of the transition to “Internet Zero,” the world urgently needs strategies to reduce carbon emissions. Innovations in carbon capture are starting to become less expensive, which could lead to a carbon technology boom. Large-scale carbon capture remains expensive, new projects are proving that costs can come down, and a nascent economy is emerging to take advantage of carbon waste. “Has the carbon technology revolution begun?” asked the New York Times (2021). With this goal of “zero emissions,” the appetite for these solutions can only grow.
Virtual teleportation
Distance is becoming less of a barrier. As people spend more time working, socializing and collaborating online, technology is paving the way for teleportation into a new virtual dimension that offers more intimate, in-person interactions that are closer to reality. Take Meta, for example, which is banking heavily on virtual reality (VR): “By 2030, the next generation of Oculus will allow users to teleport from one place to another without moving from their couch,” Mark Zuckerberg told The Information podcast 411. For its part, the Microsoft Mesh collaboration platform uses mixed reality (MR) to create interconnected worlds where the physical and digital come together.
Cryptocurrency as a legitimate currency
Cryptocurrencies have had their “up and downs,” but recent initiatives by major financial and political players could allow this digital currency to become a legitimate and accessible payment option. Several countries are experimenting with nationally regulated cryptocurrencies. China is currently piloting a digital yuan, with plans to eventually roll out this electronic currency for mass public use. The wild west of cryptocurrencies is slowly being regulated and legitimized, opening the door to a future of digital economies.
“Purification” technologies
A new wave of technological innovation is using biotechnology to purify airspaces. As this technology develops, its functionality is being tested in public spaces, with the goal of mitigating the effects of air pollution. Increased attention to air quality is paving the way for new technologies and devices that enable clean breathing in public spaces.