The next big thing in tech

Technology drives society forward. This is not debatable. It provides us with incredible capabilities but also incredible distractions. It is always up to us to decide which technologies to keep, which need to go and what could be tweaked ever so slightly to end up being that next big thing. Going into the rest of 2014 and into 2015, data security seemed like it would be main issue after several high-profile hacks of payments at big retailers. But after this week, there will be more attention paid to mobile payments and wearable tech like the new Apple Watch, in addition to whatever new social platforms arise. Even established networks like Facebook continually change the way marketers can use it to engage with customers. With the major announcement of Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, I was left with more questions than I started with. Are wearable devices the future of the tech industry? Or is that comparing an Apple to an orange? I had the chance to speak with an industry expert, Adam Anolik, multiunit franchisee for Wireless Zone in the Philadelphia area, about the future of tech for business professionals. He was able to shed some light on the three questions that kept me guessing. What is the most popular piece of tech for business professionals, not including the cellphone? Businesspeople are using tablets more and more frequently, Anolik said, hinting that the adoption of tablets might seriously threaten the laptop’s use for a new generation of people. “This year and in the future, there is expected to be more tablets sold than PCs,” he said. “At the Philadelphia Wireless Zone, we specialize in business accounts and see a huge trend in businesses wanting to use the tablet to log into their office computer when off site.” He noted that phones aren’t going to be replaced completely anytime soon, but tablets are still on the rise. Wearable tech: here to stay or short term fad? “I definitely see wearable tech moving from glasses and head gear to watches,” Anolik said. I would have to agree. Even though watches that border on the edge of secret-agent gear might be bizarre to some, there’s no denying that a watch device is less intrusive than something like Google Glass. Because we’re surrounded by digital clocks everywhere we turn, including on our cell phones that never leave our side, watches have become more of a fashion accessory or status symbol than a practical tool to tell time. But smart watches like Apple’s, which debuts early next year, could turn the watch back into something that’s as useful as it is nice to look at. “The Apple Watch seems to be a more finely tuned version of many of the current wearable devices out there now,” Anolik said. “Apple’s device is more customizable with more apps available including maps and the new payment system looking to replace the wallet, Apple Pay. The watch can also control different apps like Apple TV and iTunes.” Anolik added that he personally thinks wearable tech will be a booming industry. Are there any current trends that you think might die off in the next couple years? One word: laptops. “I think laptops are going to disappear in the next couple of years, with tablets evolving as fast as they are and continually adding mimicking abilities,” Anolik said. I must admit, it’s difficult to imagine a post-laptop world. But then again, if all your devices have the same capabilities, and a tablet can enable the same kind of typing and data storage we need every day from our personal computers, there might not be room for the laptop.