How tech could shape your life next year
AS I LOOK into my crystal ball at what new technologies are most likely to shape our lives in the next 12 months, I see science-fiction dreams coming to life: glasses that mix reality and imagination, an electric car in my driveway and gadgets that charge without plugs.
But coming out of a year where most Americans were hacked and Silicon Valley got scolded by Congress, there’s plenty to worry about. How many ways will artificial intelligence make decisions without us? And how long should we remain panicked about cybersecurity lapses?
Tech’s not just about shiny new gadgets anymore. So I put together this list of technologies to look out for in 2018, for better and worse. Tesla moves the car forward
Whether you’re an Elon Musk skeptic or true believer, it’s hard to deny the Tesla Model 3 has generated iPhone-level buzz about electric cars. Since this “affordable luxury” US$35,000 (RM143,500)-and-up sedan was unveiled in 2016, roughly 450,000 people have pre-ordered one. Now if only Tesla could make them. Significant manufacturing issues keep pushing back the Model 3 delivery timeline, but there’s a good chance you’ll see some on the road in 2018. HomePod gets Apple talking
The US$350 (RM1,435) HomePod is Apple’s first talking speaker. For people who buy Apple everything, the HomePod has the potential to tie together music, the TV and the smart home in a way that the iPhone alone hasn’t. Augmented reality going places
Pokémon Go introduced the world to augmented reality, a fancy term for mixing the real world with digital information. In the year ahead, we’ll test whether that idea is more than a gimmick. Thanks to new AR-enabling tech in smartphones, the camera can be a search engine, interior design tool or teacher. Wireless charging gets a much-needed jolt
Apple has just added wireless charging to the X and 8, putting its stamp of approval on a charging standard called Qi. Now coffee shops, furniture makers and car companies might be more confident about building wireless charging pads into everyday things. Digital subscriptions as the new norm
In 2018, paying for online video, music, games and news subscriptions will feel as normal as a US$4 latte. Deloitte predicts that by the end of the year, 50 per cent of adults in developed countries will have at least two online-only media subscriptions. Cybersecurity menace keeps growing
Please maintain your nearconstant state of alarm about hacking. In 2018, the risks are likely to only increase, and cyber sleuths say possible targets include connected gadgets and US election systems.
Businesses will be on the hunt for new ways to verify our identities in a world where Equifax data is out in the wild. Artificial intelligence judges you
Much of the conversation about artificial intelligence (AI) to date has been hype. But in a million quiet ways, the tech is seeping into our lives – and for every happy use of AI, there seems to be a creepy one.
It’s making decisions about what we watch and read. It can even be used to create authenticlooking fake content that has a scary name: “counterfeit reality.” How might AI be used to judge our voices, faces, emotions - or even whether we’re worth hiring? Companies are starting to discuss AI ethics, but keeping this tech accountable will be hard because we won’t always recognise its invisible hand. — Washington Post
In 2018, paying for online video, music, games and news subscriptions will feel as normal as a US$4 latte.