David Neale is TELUS’ Chief Futurist and SVP Strategic Content and Services and he has taken a bit of time to look into the future and give his insight into the top 5 mobility trends we can expect in 2010. Check them out below and let us know what you think (kinda also gives an insight into what TELUS devices will be launched this year):
1) Your contacts make the call, not your phone: Phones will no longer be organized around its functions, but holistically around your contacts. It’s not about tasks anymore, it’s about people, so instead of categorizing communications by function such as text, voice and email, smartphone interactions will be centred around your contacts, giving you the flexibility to communicate with them however you wish, seamlessly, and to view your interactions with them without switching applications. With more people-centric applications, smartphones will become more in-tune with the way we live, work and interact with others.
2) Entertainment-on-demand: No need for a TV guide… video-on-demand is about to take over. In 2010, the Internet and broadband access will be the popular way consumers will enjoy television programming and entertainment of all kinds – available when YOU want it, where you want it, over television and the Internet. Your viewing experience will even be flexible enough to move with you from room to room. With 21% of Canadians currently using on-demand entertainment and 57% of Canadians feeling that pre-recorded video brings them closer to their families, it’s a trend that’s sure to grow. [* Stats based on TELUS Canadians and Technology survey, released in September, 2009]
3) Have the posse follow you: Social networks are no longer a destination we go to – but evolved to being so integrated in our lives it follows us throughout the day. No longer seen as a separate activity to e-mail and voice messaging, in 2010 social networking will be a primary means of communication and smartphones will be the vehicle that brings all of these channels together in one place. It doesn’t matter if you’re communicating with someone through Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or IM – it’s all streamlined. Through emerging applications, your posse can come to you instead of the other way around.
4) Where you at? GPS is your new best friend: “Where are you?” will become a question of the past. Advanced social networking mediums and GPS-based applications now allow you to pinpoint the location of your contacts in real-time, adding a deeper dimension to social networking, to offer the user new ways of connecting with contacts and deepen relationships (even facilitating face-to-face contact!). Canadian mobile phone habits found that Smartphone penetration has jumped from a quarter of the wireless population to one-third – in one year meaning that more Canadians will be joining the connected community. (*Stat according to J.D. Power & Associates)
5) The ‘can do’ device: In 2010, phones will go from being devices you ‘could’ use as music players or cameras to the ‘all-in-one entertainment hub’ where you can acquire and play your favourite music while capturing memories in high resolution on built-in cameras. Functions that were once secondary to smartphones will become just as important as communication, creating the ultimate user experience.
