With the New Year comes a new generation of mobile evolution. Looking back at 2016, no one expected augmented reality to touch the world through a resurgence of people trying to “Catch ‘em all” with Pokèmon GO. From apps to new gear for your on-the-go device, let’s ponder what’s coming this year.
Pushing AR
Pokèmon GO broke records with more than 100 million downloads. In a way, bringing to life the magic and nostalgia of Pokèmon with the power of augmented reality was the perfect combination for bringing the technology to the forefront of people’s attention. While we’ve been seeing more in this area from the likes of Snapchat and possibly Apple, it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing more apps and devices look to use augmented reality as a way to engage people.
Adding more smarts to your house
Home automation is growing more and more. With Google Home, Apple HomeKit and Amazon’s Echo devices on the market, you have more ways than ever before to connect your home to the device in your hand. From warming your house to locking the door and navigating your fridge, smart homes are becoming increasingly more present and affordable as the market continues to grow. Check out some of the cool tech coming out this year to give your home some smarts
Anything at your fingertips
Uber brought us the amazing ability to request a cab at the push of a button. This spurred many to think about what else they could bring people at a tap. Today, we can get anything from a snack to movers and clothes. We’ll continue to see more of these just-a-push-away services pop-up throughout 2017. What that ends up being, though, could be something you don’t even know you need, Forbes wrote.
Location-based services
Last year, location-based services (LBS) had some huge technological advancements. In 2017, we’ll start to see more of these services grow as businesses look to utilize them to offer specials to customers based on where they are sitting.
Smaller businesses takeover
With Subway, 7-11, Starbucks and Target just some of the businesses using their apps to engage customers, it makes sense the smaller businesses start to follow suit. According to Small Business Trends, 50 percent of small businesses will release an app this year. Whether it’s scheduling, buying or dining, if you’re a small business owner, I recommend putting some thought into what your app could look like.
Have a mobile 2017, everyone!