2020 was strange year for most of us, despite the pandemic situation and the sudden stop in activity, we were involved in the launch of some great products.
This is the case
with Apple's new Macs based on M1 technology, 5G
smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S20 , or the steady growth in
sales of health-focused fitness and monitoring devices .
So, what can we
expect as big trends for this new year 2021?
The following predictions and technological trends are the result of opinions of expert journalists from our IDG editorial group, who daily analyze current events and write about product reviews in our publications.
Expandable or deployable telephones
The Inno Day 2020
that Oppo celebrated at the end of last year already let us glimpse interesting
news that could arrive in 2021.
The Oppo X 2021 concept
device is shown with a rollable screen that extends its normal size from
6.7 inches to 7.4 inches in just a few moments, thanks to the fact that it can
be opened and closed as if it were a parchment .
This could be one of
the mosts anticipated technologies of 2021. In essence, it has a patented
technology called powertrain Roll Motor, so that it superimposes two plates in
one to get the mobile to extend the size of the screen.
With companies like
Samsung and Huawei focusing on folding phones over the last few years, see
the Galaxy Z Fold2 5G and Mate Xs models , these
modalities may receive a boost towards what could define the future of
smartphones. .
ProMotion on iPhone
The 120 Hz screen has
become a regular feature of flagship Android phones such as the OnePlus 8
Pro , Samsung Galaxy S20 , Oppo Find X2 Pro and many
other lower priced models .
However, Apple
iPhones are still in the 60Hz display era, even when it comes to the higher
priced iPhone 12 Pro Max.
In this way,
ProMotion is the name that Apple has given to the high refresh rates and that
we can already find in the iPad Pro models, which provides greater agility in
the smooth scrolling of the interface and the device screen.
We think that 2021 ill
be the year in which Apple extends this feature to the iPhone 13, although it
remains to be seen if it will extend it to the entire range or it will be
something specific to the top-of-the-range iPhone 13 Pro models.
Disinfection devices
The COVID-19 pandemic
has caused many tragedies and disruptions in 2020, so we have become accustomed
to combating the threat using disinfection devices and other associated
household items, steam, and UV rays.
These products have
been arounds for a long time, but it is now that they have become much more
popular, thinking about ensuring well-being in homes, on public transport and
in any restaurant, school classroom or closed place.
We will have to be
attentive to what will be announced now at the beginning of the year in the
new edition of CES 2021 , where the main technology brands will show their
innovations for this year, with companies such as Beko and its HygieneShield range .
Other brands have
similar launches in household appliances such as washing machines, dryers,
dishwashers, microwaves and refrigerators. It will undoubtedly be the year
of disinfection in the most science fiction style.
Video streaming services
Streaming video
services such as Netflix , HBO , Disney Plus or Filmin ,
among many others, have become popular in homes in this time of pandemic, to
the point of having become the alternative to being able to attend movie
premieres.
It seems that in 2021
this trend of increasing subscribers will continue, with great movie premieres
reaching the platforms at the same time as they do in the big cinemas.
In this way, as the
states of alarm continue in the countries, it seems very possible that other
giants of the industry will sign agreements that will allow the public to watch
new films from their own homes.
One service in dire
need of quality content is Apple's TV + platform, so we wouldn't be surprised
if one of the world's richest companies decides that movies are the way to go.
Laptops with 5G
Mobility may not have
been a priority in 2020, since most of us have stayed at home for much of the
year, either teleworking or the little ones attending virtual classes through
technology.
At the end of last
year we already saw the appearance of the first laptops with 5G capabilities,
in the form of the Lenovo Yoga 5G. It is expected that in 2021, all brands
will join this trend to expand their offer of equipment with LTE
connectivity.
If 2020 will go down
in history as the year in which 5G smartphones became a reality, with frankly
competitive prices, 2021 could be a copy for this technology but transferred to
laptops with such super-fast connectivity.
- The best mobiles with 5G
- The best cheap mobiles with
5G
Windows 10X on Chromebooks
Windows 10S may not
have made it big in the world due to its restrictive nature, but Microsoft has
another version of the popular desktop operating system that could be the
surprise hit of 2021.
Windows 10X is a
simplified version of Windows 10 that was primarily designed for dual-screen
devices like Microsoft Duo. However, things have changed as it looks like
the software will debut on single screen devices in 2021.
With ChromeOS gaining
in popularity, especially in the education market, could Windows 10X be the
answer Microsoft needs to make sure the next generation of users get
their software ?
We're certainly
looking forward to seeing what a slim Windows laptop can do in terms of user
interface, security, and performance. It look like 2021 will be the year
we find out.
Electric bicycles and scooters
We have started the
new year 2021 and the new traffic regulations imposed by the DGT oblige us to
comply with a series of requirements by regular users of electric scooters, for
which until now there was a legal vacuum.
In this way, the
changes approved in terms of traffic for 2021 indicate that vehicles with one
or more wheels with a single seat will only be able to circulate in the city
and on the road, complying with the same traffic regulations as other
vehicles.
These vehicles must
use the road and not the sidewalk to move, with speeds between 6 and 25 km /
h. Its circulation on sidewalks and pedestrian areas, as well as on
interurban roads, crossings or highways is totally prohibited.
No type of driving
license is necessary, but electric scooters must have a certificate of
circulation that certifies that they comply with the technical requirements
contemplated in the manual.
