As we have been working with IT solutions in Marbella for many years, we know better than many that a lot can change in a short time. It was around five years ago that Apple’s iPad was first launched. Doesn’t that seem like an age ago already? Around the same time, Kickstarter campaigns debuted, which changed fundraising dramatically.
Wireless credit card machines became accessible to businesses of all sizes, and HD television on giant flat screens is now run of the mill. If so many advancements can be made in such a short time, what does that say about the next five-year period? With every technological upgrade, something familiar has to become obsolete.
What we once considered absolutely crucial to our existence disappears into the abyss in the blink of an eye… no sooner than a superior piece of tech has appeared. So, what much-loved technology may be edging towards the abyss as 2018 rolls in?
- Bank accounts and banking products
The tenacious grip of the banking industry has reluctantly loosened with the age of digital currency. Digital wallets are now the thing, and people are throwing their hard earned Euros at Bitcoin and the like… ostensibly in a bid to move away from traditional banking and its restrictions.
App-based organisations such as Revolut and Monzo are reeling in soon-to-be-ex bank customers by the minute. Their new and improved current accounts and prepaid currency cards offer the Interbank rates to customers, with no (or minimal) fees for use abroad, and more. Our smartphones will probably be the only banking tool we need.
Paypal is in danger of being overshadowed by fee-free apps like Circle, which allow users to ping money to friends in seconds. What does all this mean? Well, this new way of living may be creeping in gradually, but it’s real nonetheless. Soon there will be no such thing as a chequebook, and even cash and ATMs will disappear without a trace.
- Passwords
It may be difficult to imagine right now but within the next five years, passwords will not be your standard method of security. Most people have a selection of passwords they use for everything, but even the most complex passwords are hackable.
The thing set to replace our passwords is biometrics. In 2017 you will have already come across biometrics. For instance, if you own a relatively recent model of the iPhone, you’ve been through airport security, or you work at a high-tech corporate building. Biometrics consists of any biological property personal to you; that means your fingerprints, your voice, the irises of your eyes, and your face.
No doubt hackers will find a way to thwart even this system eventually, but it is set to be a lot more difficult than cracking random selections of letters and numbers. Another thing likely to slide into the abyss is your simple sets of physical keys. Our smartphones (or other smart devices) will become the only keys we need, with biometrics providing the security.
- Paperwork
Not many people are huge fans of paperwork, or bureaucracy in general. With the world becoming evermore digitalized, any fears of eternal paper shuffling will finally diminish. That means there will be no more fax machines, photocopiers and printers – well, aside from 3D printers – but that’s another story.
Your e-signature will soon be worth what your pen and ink once was, and you’ll become familiar with ‘cloud agreements’. These will create a permanent digital library and management system for your transactions and contracts. They’ll even automate processes such as the payments linked to contracts.
The virtual cloud is spreading faster than an Amazonian thundercloud and there will soon come a time where it is impossible to function without being part of it. Most industries are already on board and using the cloud to their advantage. It tends to make their internal processes more efficient, saving both time and costs.
Don’t worry, we’re adaptable beings…
These three things are by no means the only things heading for extinction, but they’re big ones. Even if seems hard to imagine now, the rate at which we humans adapt to new technology is self-evident.
Optimasit always strives to move with the technology of the times, and when you choose to work with us, we apply this knowledge to your business strategies to bring you the best possible results. Rest assured that even when new technology is baffling to you, we have already got it nailed… that’s what makes us the go-to company for IT solutions in Marbella. Talk to us now to find out more.