The longer you work in the tech space, the more information you'll have about how things could turn out. It's like you always have your head on the tracks, listening for the oncoming train. No one can see it, and though they, too, rest their heads against the cold, hard metal, they can't even detect a tremor. But 36 years of listening have honed your senses, and now you can hear and feel things others can't. So you stand up, squint into the distance, and tell a story of the possible futures of technology.
These are nine predictions that range from almost certain to almost imagination. This is also just an overview. Use this set of predictions as a spark for your own predictions.
Streaming regroups(*9*)
Before the end of next year, consumers will be seriously considering a variety of streaming packages, which will look increasingly like the cable deals everyone has tried to turn down. With dozens of streaming services available and the uncertain economic landscape for the services (subscriber churn and churn) and the industry that powers them (entertainment (opens in a new tab)), smaller streaming services may look to security packages sphere or even consolidation.
Could Apple buy Netflix in 2023 (opens in a new tab)? It could probably afford it, but Disney, which already owns Hulu and Disney+, is a more likely candidate. Netflix's interest in a sale may be based, in part, on the success of its ad-supported option. So far it's been a bit off (opens in a new tab), but that could change next year. If not, and Netflix goes through another cycle of subscriber base instability, it could be looking to strike a deal.
At the very least, we'll see more and more cable and internet companies offering even more bundles that include all of your favorite streamers, just as they've done with cable bundles for decades. Everything old is new again.
One round EV(*9*)
The entire auto industry is trying to switch from combustion engines to electric motors and by 2023 we should see new sedans and cars from all the major manufacturers. Electric vehicle growth in the United States lags far behind Europe and China (opens in a new tab), but the introduction of electric trucks from GM (opens in a new tab) and Ford (opens in a new tab) new tab) might change that.
Ironically, electric vehicles that are supposed to help us fight climate change by not producing harmful emissions into the atmosphere may be more vulnerable to climate change-induced weather events. Hurricane Ian produced saltwater flooding that damaged electric vehicles' giant lithium-ion batteries (which typically power the entire base of the car) and made them susceptible to ignition (opens in a new tab).
It's something that Tesla, arguably the world's leading electric car maker, might want to address in 2023. But this once staunch leader is now reeling with massive inventory losses (opens in a new tab) and a CEO who seems more interested in social media than the EV brand you built. Elon Musk will have to refocus on Tesla in 2023 to save it and move the entire EV market forward.
goodbye children (*9*)
It's a safe bet that we'll see the first portless and wireless smartphone sets in 2023. Apple has already removed the physical SIM slot for iPhone 14 phones (in the US), and many believe it could quickly switch from the Lightning port to the USB. -C port to no charging port. It's possible that a variant of the iPhone 15, possibly the rumored Ultra, could ship in some markets without a charging port and charge via an included MagSafe charger.
However, Apple may not be ready to make the leap. One or two smaller Android makers could surely test a portless phone before the end of 2023, if only to test the waters.
To make this wireless future a reality, we need faster wireless charging capabilities. Today's best wireless chargers offer 15W and can charge a phone in less than two hours. 2023 could see higher power and 45 minutes for a full charge.
Smart home rationalization(*9*)
The biggest story in the smart home space will undoubtedly be Matter. Unfortunately, consumers will spend most of 2023 not understanding or caring. However, if the material does its job, many people could still benefit from it.
As more smart home devices are purchased throughout the year, consumers may find that setup and interoperability between their disparate digital assistants just works. This will obviously be a win for Matter and all its partners, even if Matter is irrelevant to consumers.
The only thing that could slow the adoption and usefulness of Matter is if not enough companies also support Thread (opens in a new tab), the power consumption of low-power mesh networking technology that has come to Matter for a faster and easier smart home. connections I've seen too many products that support one (Matter) but not yet the other (Thread).
The social media reset will continue apace through 2023 with Twitter dead or under different control, Facebook pausing the Metaverse, Instagram trying to find itself, and TikTok fighting a US government that doesn't trust it.
This will leave the field open for the development of certain new platforms. Despite its inscrutability, Mastodon has an early lead as a Twitter replacement, despite not really being a news platform. I think there may be something new on the horizon that combines the best of what Twitter was, the classic photography prowess of Instagram, and the safety and community of early Facebook. Or maybe it's just an illusion.
The question is, will our love affair with social media survive even in 2023? My money is on the no.
fold the apple(*9*)
I'm pretty sure we'll see some kind of foldable iPhone or iPad, but I'm not sure if it will be released this year. What I mean is that we get to see a preview of Apple's planned device at WWDC 2023.
By demoing this next-generation iOS or iPadOS device early, Apple could give developers 18 months to design new apps for foldable and possibly dual-screen iPhones and iPads.
It is not an unprecedented decision. I still remember that Apple introduced the cylindrical Mac Pro at WWDC 2013 and it didn't ship for six months. Perhaps this more drastic product change will require even more time in the development oven.
Sustainability is us(*9*)
One of the biggest stories at CES 2023 won't involve new gadgets that rejuvenate your face, double your clothes, or place you in the metaverse. It will be sustainability, and it is a narrative that will continue throughout 2023.
It's a way for companies to talk about climate change without fully addressing it. Instead, everyone will use terms like "carbon neutral," "net zero," and "sustainability." At least the latter seems to refer to a more vital planet.
For the first time we will talk about our own carbon footprint at home and ask how the products and technologies that we incorporate into it can help us reduce our own emissions. For many, their efforts may stop at the front door when considering their first EV (see above). But smart home technology considerations can finally be combined not only with cost savings through more efficient technologies, but also with matter-based systems that can communicate and create a better, more neutral home energy profile. .
On one hand, I'm excited about the advances in virtual reality and augmented reality that I've experienced thanks to the latest Quest headset from Meta. Quest Pro shows how far we've come in advancing mixed reality. But as many have pointed out to me, a system that still can't make virtual objects interact seamlessly with the real world is far from ideal.
The good (and bad) news for Meta is that nobody cares about the Metaverse. In other words, there's no rush to build this immersive, do-it-all world for everyone at home, work, and play. Instead, Meta will spend 2023 refining its mixed-reality hardware and world-building software, while most people still use their VR headsets primarily for gaming and exercise.
2023 won't be the year of the Metaverse and might even skip 2024. I think 2025 is, with much smaller and lighter hardware and 10x better optics and graphics, when things finally start to get interesting.
The AI gets to work(*9*)
Someone is going to hire the first AI reporter to not only generate ideas based on suggestions, but also to submit inquiries, get answers, and write original stories. An AI will announce the news. 2023 will also see the first staging of a play written by an AI. A song written, composed and performed by an AI will reach the Billboard Top 100.
Major art museums will host AI art exhibits, and some will hang computer-generated art alongside the masters. At some point, no one will be able to tell the difference.
Like I said, this is all just a tunnel vision of what is going to be a very big and busy technological future. I could be wrong about some or all of these things, but I bet I'll be more right than ChatGPT AI. When I asked him about the big tech trends of 2023, he told me about technologies, like 5G for smartphones, that had already happened. Maybe you should rethink this whole part of the AI.