If you grow up during the last 3 decades or so, it’s hard not to notice how much technology has progressed. It started with the physical rotary phones and tape cassettes to mini-computers and now smartphones that we take with us everywhere. We even have so many tablets for kids to keep entertained and connected.
Not all of us pause and think about how much our lives and behaviors have changed. But it’s true that we have undergone so much revolution. All thanks to the global data connections, everything is now linked up.
Ways Technology Can Change Our Behavior
Let’s take a break and see how technology is and can change our behavior over the coming years:
1. Smart devices will offer peace and convenience
Starting from smart fridges to trash cans with voice activation, we will see futuristic gadgets that will make smart homes a reality. The connected device market is ready to take off. Companies are trying to compete to stand out with smart products.
Consumers want devices that can offer them peace of mind and at the same time anticipate their needs. Scripps Networks has conducted a study that offers clues on what consumers might be looking for. The results say that safety and energy efficiency are strong motivations behind the purchases of smart home devices. The study also says that millennials are more likely to be the ones to adopt smart home technology as compared to baby boomers or generation Xers.
2. Stay on top of health with wearable fitness trackers
Services like Fitbit, ZEO, and FuelBand by Nike are generating more and more data in our lives. These devices have helped us a lot in tracking the number of steps, calories burnt and how well we are sleeping.
Pretty soon, they will become a part of a quantified self-movement. It will empower people with their own data. It will tell us things about us and our biology which weren’t that obvious.
3. Advanced manufacturing with 3D printing
3D printing is making manufacturing accessible to people more than ever. It’s also fueling major breakthroughs in medicine. You must have heard how 3D printer was able to make the tiniest human liver ever.
3D printer is capable of building an object piece by piece in 3 dimensions. This device isn’t just being used in companies but also at homes. All thanks to the brands like Shapeways and MakerBot that have started creating affordable 3D printers. Now, we have an entirely new way of consuming and producing things.
4. Self-driving cars and advanced traveling
We have already witnessed some self-driving cars every now and then on the roads. Tesla is a good example. According to Google, self-driving safe cars can reduce 1.2 million lives lost due to road accidents each year. This is huge!
Time will bring fully autonomous cars into the picture too. That may require a major change in the infrastructure though. Big players such as Audi and Toyota are working on it already.
5. The use of drones for hunting and more
As an average user, you shouldn’t really be afraid of drones. After smartphones, other advanced technologies such as armed processors, gyroscopes, GPS, and accelerometers, manufacturing drones has become easier than expected.
People are using drones in their daily lives already. For instance, skiers are using them in need of securing or they are being used for surveying archeological sites. FedEx is actually counting the days until drones are admitted to the US airspace. You never know what’s more is there to see.
❗ Wait, There’re Some Downsides Too
Technology may have the potential to make us do things we haven’t even fathomed but we cannot forget how it has already impacted our behavior.
- It’s made us less patient – Now that the world is at our fingertips, we all want answers right away. The ability to find something with a few taps and swipe has made us impatient. Some of us even have unrealistic expectations of success. We are more inclined than ever to take shortcuts.
- New inventions bring digital addictions – With new technological inventions comes new digital addictions. And we are not just addicted to the internet but social, games and our smartphones on the whole. For some of us, technology is becoming a toy.
☛ Final Words
Technology sure is a powerful tool in influencing and changing consumer behavior. It has both positive and negative aspects. In a world where new technologies are popping, the companies that put customer needs first will win.
