Huge internet demand and the move to smart homes and cities have accelerated 5G-6G development. Large enterprises and startups will be trends.
Massive 5G Infrastructure Development Trends
Trends may come and go, but solid small business technology is always around. Logistics remain paramount.
It wasn’t all that many years ago that a small enterprise was constantly bedeviled with how and where to file its paperwork. And there was plenty of it. Federal forms. State red tape. Not to mention tax documents! Time cards. Invoices. Shipping manifests. And so on. All this paperwork needed a secure and organized place to be.
Filing clerks ruled their bosses like tyrants. Because if you couldn’t lay your hand on a shipping manifest for a customer, you could lose their business. For good. And the only one who really knew where to find everything was the shipping clerk. If he or she were a good one.
Today? We have the cloud. Where all good little documents and data go. We’re not yet a paperless society. But we’re getting there.
And surprisingly, smaller companies are at the forefront of that because paper costs money. Even the cheapest wood pulp now demands a king’s ransom. So every business person is embracing the cloud. Loving the cloud. Demanding more cloud. And working at better infrastructure to serve the cloud.
Infrastructure Powers Automation, Drones, and Robots
The creators of 5G technology built out the Australian 5G infrastructure even before the outbreak. Verizon announced a large 5G network expansion in October 2020. On the other hand, the same goes for China. Over 380 telecom carriers are investing in 5G, and it is now available in 35 trends countries. But the global market leader is Ericsson.
As another example, Movandi enables long-distance 5G data transport, and Novalume — which helps municipalities manage public lighting and data through a smart city system — are among the promising startups in this field. Nido Robotics, for its part, employs drones to examine the seabed.
Drones may now use 5G to improve navigation and connect to IoT devices. For example, Seadronix uses 5G to power autonomous ships. As a result of this technology, autonomous vessels may travel without human involvement. 5G and 6G will boost smart cities globally and assist the drone business in 2022.
The demand for AI and industrial automation technology will skyrocket in 2022. Labor shortages will worsen even as production and supply return to normal. Automation with AI, robots, and IoT will be the dominant manufacturing management option. Some of the main AI and robotics technology providers include CloudMinds, Bright Machines, Roobo, Vicarious, Preferred Networks, Locus Robotics, Built Robotics, Kindred Systems, and XYZ Robotics (China).
For You: Surround-Reality Will Boom
In 2020, VR and AR were deployed. Today, these technologies pervade many aspects of life, from entertainment to business. Many organizations allow employees to work remotely. AR and VR interact.
Immersive technology allows for a massive revolution in all domains. For example, the use of eye-tracking and facial expression recognition technologies and 5G and broadband internet will become increasingly popular in the New Year. The leaders in AR and VR will include Microsoft, Consagous Inc, Quytech, RealWorld One, Chetu, Gramercy Tech, and others.
Another Emerging Trend: Micromobility
The pandemic delayed the micromobility market at the start of the year, but it picked up speed towards the end.
Electric bikes and scooters are becoming increasingly popular as alternatives to personal and public transportation. The market for private micromobility is predicted to increase by 9%, and the sharing economy by 12%. Major cities have created miles of dedicated cycling routes. The UK government has declared a ban on diesel and gasoline sales after 2030, increasing interest in micromobility.
Startups driving this innovation include Bird, Lime, Dott, Skip, Tier, and Voi. Several Chinese firms have also had great success, including Ofo, Mobike, and Hellobike.
Self-Driving Tech
In 2022, autonomous driving technology will improve significantly.
Honda just announced the mass production of self-driving automobiles. Tesla’s autopilot has learned to identify road signs and traffic signals, as well as govern lane movement and rebuilding. Ford is also in the race, with a self-driving vehicle sharing service expected in 2022.
Customers can expect to buy equipment as early as 2026. Mercedes-Benz, for example, will strive to incorporate autonomous driving technology into new vehicles. GM, too, plans to introduce Super Cruise autopilot to 22 vehicles by 2023. Other businesses, including Lyft and Waymo, are developing self-driving technology to compete. GM invested $1 billion on Cruise, Uber $680 million on Otto, Ford $1 billion on Argo AI, and Intel $15.3 billion on Mobileye.
Looking Forward
While technological advancements will continue in 2022, the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic is sure to shift things during the year. The determinants of technical and business innovation are yet likely to be new behaviors.
