Smartphones and more
The technology trends of 2021
Technology gadgets optimize everyday life and ensure comfort.
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Smartphones are getting better and better – but not only that. These are the technology trends of the year.
Who still remembers the Babelfish from Douglas Adams’ classic “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” or the clock that David Hasselhoff uses to talk to his car in “Night Rider”? Back then, both the little headphones as a translator for foreign languages and the smartwatch were science fiction – now, thanks to artificial intelligence, they are a reality. The following technology will also hit the mass market in 2021.
Smartphones
We have long got used to the screens in our pockets, but the technology is becoming more and more impressive. Ultra-high-resolution 4K displays that can display more than a billion colors, refresh rates of 144 hearts or screens that can be folded are now all available to everyone. With the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3, Samsung launched two devices with folding technology on the market this year. According to rumors, Apple and Google will soon follow, Xiaomi has already followed suit with the Mi Mix Fold, but the device is not available in Germany.
In addition to the Samsung Galaxy S21 and the iPhone 13 series, the high-end highlights on the European market include the Find x3 series from Oppo and Google’s Pixel 6, which provides the Babelfish moment mentioned above. Dictate something to the device in German and have it translated directly into another language – and that offline? Thanks to the artificial intelligence and machine learning installed in the device, this is no longer a problem! With the Tensor processor, Google has developed its own chip for this purpose and is thus driving the market for pocket AI.
Smartwatches
There was also a lot of movement in the smartwatch market in 2021. Apple has presented the seventh generation of its Apple Watch, Samsung offers the Galaxy Watch 4, Huawei the Watch 3. Watches from Oppo, Garmin or Motorola are also available. The smart bracelets are now more than just extensions to smartphones, they often measure body functions such as pulse or blood pressure. However, watch wearers should pay attention to the compatibility with the smartphone.
In terms of usability, Samsung has achieved a similar design coup with the Watch 4 Classic as Apple once did with its first iPod, because the South Koreans rely on a classic bezel. The rotatable ring on the outside of the clock ensures intuitive operation of the clock – if necessary in up to 50 meters of water. The only thing the manufacturers are currently struggling with is the battery capacity; the upper class usually has to be charged daily. The protection standard IP68 is also increasingly found in smartphones and smartwatches, which means that the devices are completely waterproof and dustproof.
Fitness wristbands
Fitness wristbands are also on the rise. They hardly differ optically from smartwatches, but usually have far fewer functions. The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 was particularly popular in 2021, and is available for as little as 25 euros when it is on sale. The Charge 4 from Fitbit and the Polar Vantage M2, in which the line between fitness band and smartwatch is blurring, are more expensive, but no less popular. The Honor Band 5, the Tipmant fitness armband and the Band 6 – fitness tracker from Huawei were also able to perform well in 2021.
Smart homes
Due to the corona pandemic, which has now lasted for almost two years, many people have dealt with the topic of smart homes for the first time. As a result, robots are now vacuuming apartments all over the country or mowing the lawn, the light goes on as if by magic when you come home and the heating turns down as soon as you leave it. This is not yet to be found in every neighborhood, but according to a study by the digital association Bitkom, applications and smart home devices are on the advance.
In 2021, a third of Germans will already be using smart lighting and two thirds will control their smart home applications using voice commands. One stumbling block, however, is the issue of security: Almost a third (32 percent) of those surveyed are afraid of their privacy in smart homes and 41 percent are afraid of hacker attacks. In addition, almost half (48 percent) of the over-65s find the technology “too complicated”.
Semiconductor situation creates a negative highlight
Unfortunately, a technological trend in 2021 is that numerous devices will not be available or will only be available for some time. From the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 game consoles to the smartphone and automotive market. Wherever computer chips and semiconductor boards are used, manufacturers have difficulties in getting supplies. This is causing delivery bottlenecks even at the tech giants Apple, Google and Sony. According to expert forecasts, a noticeable improvement in the semiconductor market is not expected until 2023.