Top 10 Technology Trends of 2021

The 21st century has been a century of technological change. Several highly commercial and prevalent technologies during the early 2000s have entirely vanished, and new ones have taken their place. Many completely new technologies have also come up in 2021, especially in the arena of computer science and engineering. In 2021, these new technologies are only likely to grow and perhaps even reach the common person’s hands.

If you want to learn about new technology trends and stay updated, let’s dive in. Here are the new trending technologies in 2021 you should check out and learn to master if you want to get an edge in the market.

1- Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is never old and it is continuously evolving to attain various capabilities. Coming years will see the development of AI in ensuring better business predictions, sentiment analysis, and industrial automation. Automation has now become a necessity in most organizations. With AI, it becomes easier to understand customer trends and behavior. The future of AI is bright considering our growing dependency on it. Growth in the AI market will enhance the job opportunities in various sectors along with opening new avenues for technological innovations. AI has boosted many industries, especially healthcare and pharma during the pandemic. Coming years will witness revolutionary developments in AI since discussions are going on ethical AI, green AI, emotional AI, and many more areas.

2- Edge Computing

The growing amount of data demands efficient and smooth computing techniques. Cloud computing is a popular system for data analysis and process. However, companies are now gradually shifting towards the edge movement. Edge computing is the current technology trend that ensures low latency, high-speed data processing. With edge, computations can exist closer to the data storage systems which will enhance the functioning of applications. The high bandwidth cost of cloud platforms can be a driving force towards the adoption of edge computing.

Edge computing has excellent applications in the Internet of Things devices. As far as IoT is concerned, a physical device you need to control with your smartphone should not need to access data from a centralized repository that might be thousands of kilometers away. Instead, data should stay as close to the device as possible.

Edge computing allows the data to remain at the ‘edge’ of the cloud and the device for processing so that commands can be followed through in a smaller amount of time.

3- Quantum Computing

Next remarkable technology trend is quantum computing, which is a form of computing that takes advantage of quantum phenomena like superposition and quantum entanglement. This amazing technology trend is also involved in preventing the spread of the coronavirus, and to develop potential vaccines, thanks to its ability to easily query, monitor, analyze and act on data, regardless of the source. Another field where quantum computing is finding applications in banking and finance, to manage credit risk, for high-frequency trading and fraud detection.

Quantum computers are now a multitude times faster than regular computers and huge brands like Splunk, Honeywell, Microsoft, AWS, Google and many others are now involved in making innovations in the field of Quantum Computing. The revenues for the global quantum computing market are projected to surpass $2.5 billion by 2029. And to make a mark in this new trending technology, you need to have experience with quantum mechanics, linear algebra, probability, information theory, and machine learning.

4- Blockchain

When we hear blockchain, the first term that comes to our mind is cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Yes, they provide a platform for the decentralized storage and transaction of digital currencies. But they also enable various sectors in storage and transactions by eliminating centralized control and third-party interference. Blockchain can be leveraged by healthcare, fintech, retail, e-commerce, and other booming industries. Distributed Finance is an upcoming development in the banking sector that is driven by blockchain. It ensures transparency in digital transactions without compromising security. Creating traceable and transparent supply chains is another pivotal role of blockchain in the industry world.

5- Augmented reality and Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality have both been technology buzzwords for over a decade now. However, these top technology trends have so far failed to materialize into widely available consumer products. The presence of virtual reality and augmented reality in our real lives is minimal. Even though VR and AR have been familiar in the industry, they are relatively new technologies in 2021.

Virtual reality has been used widely in video games thus far and augmented reality-based apps did become popular for a while a few years ago, before waning. However, the best way virtual reality can become a top technology trend for the future is by making it a part of people’s daily lives.

Fun fact: 14 million AR and VR devices were sold in 2019. The global AR and VR market is expected to grow to $209.2 billion by 2022, only creating more opportunities in the trending technology, and welcoming more professionals ready for this game-changing field.

6- Internet Of Things

Another promising new technology trend is IoT. Many “things” are now being built with WiFi connectivity, meaning they can be connected to the Internet—and to each other. Hence, the Internet of Things, or IoT. The Internet of Things is the future and has already enabled devices, home appliances, cars, and much more to be connected to and exchange data over the Internet.

As consumers, we’re already using and benefitting from IoT. We can lock our doors remotely if we forget to when we leave for work and preheat our ovens on our way home from work, all while tracking our fitness on our Fitbits. However, businesses also have much to gain now and in the near future. The IoT can enable better safety, efficiency, and decision-making for businesses as data is collected and analyzed. It can enable predictive maintenance, speed up medical care, improve customer service, and offer benefits we haven’t even imagined yet.

And if you wish to step foot in this trending technology, you will have to learn about Information security, AI and machine learning fundamentals, networking, hardware interfacing, data analytics, automation, understanding of embedded systems, and must-have device and design knowledge.

7- Cyber Security

The number of devices and coverage about digital technologies has been rising, hence the threat by cyber-attacks on such devices. Cyber attacks can take many forms, from phishing to identity theft, and the need to guard the greater user coverage of the internet is greater than ever.

Simple antivirus software is no longer sufficient if you want to save yourself from cyber attacks. The development of better, more sophisticated technologies to guard against cyber threats is the subject of multiple academia and industry projects worldwide.

Jobs in cybersecurity have been growing at thrice the pace as other tech jobs, Not only these jobs are incredibly well-paying, but they are also some of the most critical positions in any firm. The 5G market in India is estimated to reach INR 19 Billion by 2025 so this new technology in 2021 can be a game-changer.

8- Human augmentation

Thinking of human augmentation, science fiction films or spy thrillers come to mind, in which the hero has a chip transplanted into his hand so that he can be contacted at all times. The development of human augmentation will probably not be quite as far-reaching yet, but the implantation of technology into the human body will continue to progress in years to come. The goal of human augmentation: cognitive and physical improvements in human experience.

This can aid in the enhancement of human cognition, perception, and action abilities. This is accomplished by sensing and actuation technology, information fusion and fission, and artificial intelligence.

In Sweden, for example, every fifth employee of a TUI subsidiary already carries a microchip in their hands and uses it for their daily work. That’s a great opportunity, says Managing Director Alexander Huber: “Every employee at TUI has a locker in which they can place their personal belongings in the evening.

9- 5G

If there is one technology, the knowledge of which is still little, it is 5G. It is a new technology companies and governments around the world have spent years preparing for the rollout of 5G technology. In several countries, this technology has already been rolled out and achieved a significant amount of success. Since 5G is currently in a nascent stage, it is available only to a limited extent and is also relatively expensive.

The number of compatible devices with 5G is also not appreciable, although most new mobile devices being released have 5G compatibility. 5G has a much greater capacity than the current 4G technology, with an average network speed of 100 Mbps and a peak speed of 20 Gbps.

Every telecom company like Verizon, T-Mobile, Apple, Nokia Corp, Qualcomm, are now working on creating 5G applications. 5G services are expected to launch worldwide in 2021 with more than 50 operators offering services in about 30 countries by the end of 2021, making it a new technology trend you must watch out for, and also save a spot in.

10- Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Robotic Process Automation isn’t just about robots. It is a lot more about the automation of processes than anything else. Before computers, most processes involved some human intervention. Humans ran even manufacturing machines, and large-scale manufacturing employs thousands of people.

However, since computers have taken over most processes, manufacturing hasn’t been left untouched either. All domains, be it manufacturing or information technology, now involve some automation in their processes. The amount of human intervention in these processes is only reducing, and this trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

In sectors such as financial services, robotic process automation can reduce the lean time to approve financial transactions online. It improves the productivity of the company as a whole, as well as that of its clients.