The Most Exciting Tech Trends of 2020

For decades now, the tech industry has been moving at lightning speed. New trends burst onto the scene in the blink of an eye, devices quickly supersede those that many of us are still getting to grips with, and tech companies are forever issuing new and exciting announcements that signal small – and, sometimes, huge – revolutions within the industry.
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Published 7th Oct 2020, 10:59 BST
Foldable phones offer bigger screens, and a more adaptable user experience ideal for work and gaming.Foldable phones offer bigger screens, and a more adaptable user experience ideal for work and gaming.
Foldable phones offer bigger screens, and a more adaptable user experience ideal for work and gaming.

As we head towards the end of 2020, and progress further still into a brand new decade, it is an excellent time to reflect on some of the most exciting trends that have made their way into our lives over the past ten months.

Virtual Spaces Become More of a Reality

From digitised fashion shows that take the artistry of the industry to a new level of beauty and other worldliness, to Twitch’s Watch Parties (courtesy of Amazon Prime), 2020 is testament to the power the web holds for transforming real-world experiences – and, sometimes, impossibilities – into digital realities. Music fans can attend London’s Philharmonic Orchestral performances from half the world away, while NoDepositFriend.com offers a Vegas-style experience for players tuning in from the comfort of their own homes.

Leaders from a staggering variety of industries are tapping into the versatility and ubiquity of the digital realm in order to create experiences that excel far beyond the limitations of the real world.

Delivery Drones are Preparing to Take Off

Amazon have been touting their plans for ‘Prime Air’ – an environmentally friendly, high-speed drone delivery service – for many years now, and while they first trialled the tech back in 2016, it was only in August of 2020 that they were able to receive the FAA approval they needed in order to make the concept a reality within the US.

Those of us in the UK will likely have to wait a while longer to see our packages brought to our doorstep by these drones, but 2020 signals a massive step forward for Amazon in the bid to usher in an entirely new – and remarkably speedy – delivery service for millions of shoppers.

Foldable Phones are Making a Comeback

When the smartphone revolution picked up speed back in the early noughties, the flip phones we had all grown to love were quickly outdated, replaced by the technology that gave rise to devices we still use today.

Now, foldable phones are returning to the forefront of the mobile industry as Samsung, Microsoft and Moto – to name just a few – are in the process of releasing them to the masses. They offer bigger screens, and a much more adaptable user experience ideal for work and gaming, and likely signal a significant move away from the industry standard we have all made use of for so long.

Artificial Intelligence is Ready to Become More Integrated into Our Lives

The smartwatch may have been a staple in our lives for many years now, but that hasn’t stopped industry giants such as Facebook and Amazon from seeking innovative ways of incorporating wearable artificial intelligence into our lives.

From the resurrection of Vuzix’s Google Glass project to the recent announcement of Amazon’s Echo Dot 10 – not to mention their flying drones for home security – many tech companies have devoted 2020 to improving and augmenting the AI’s presence in our lives.

Cloud Gaming Technology Arrives on the Scene

From Microsoft’s xCloud to Google Stadia and Amazon’s latest cloud gaming project, Luna, this year has seen some tremendous news for gamers looking to add some versatility to their gaming experience.

This shift toward the cloud ensures that those vast libraries of games will be readily available to gamers, without the need for physical discs, and that players will be able to switch between PC, mobile, and console gaming at the push of a button.