So, the year of 2016 is coming to an end. It’s been an exciting year in technology, with the release of a new iPhone, the short-lived craze of Pokémon Go, and the ultimate home assistance in Amazon Echo and its rival Google Home.
So what have been the successes and failures of the tech of 2016?
Phones
The new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus were released in September, causing the usual excitement of a new Apple product, and a wave of upgrades from the 6 to the 7. In October, Google released their Pixel smartphone, which received great reviews and was suggested as a true rival for the iPhone. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7, which should have been a worthy competitor for the iPhone, flopped dramatically when it was banned for many public places following it overheating and bursting into flames. It was then recalled.
Toys and Games
In toys and games this year, Virtual reality has been the big source of excitement. PlayStation VR, the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift were all released this year, providing a range of VR headsets to the public. The popularity of these products is likely to rise in following years, as the technology improves and the price tag falls.
There has also been a lot of hype for hoverboards – good and bad. Good as a fun gadget for getting around, and bad due to the dangers of them blowing up and the danger to others that is high enough to have made the hoverboard a banned product in many public spaces.
Personal items
Many technology items for everyday life have been released this year. The Apple Watch 2 was released, as well as top of the range wireless headphones. These have become more popular this year due to the iPhone 7 doing away with the headphone jack. The technology in these has improved vastly, and many top brands have made wireless noise cancelling headphones.
In high tech items, the Microsoft Surface Pro has received an update, meaning design workers have a newer, sleeker machine to work with. The MacBook Pro has also been updated, now including a touch bar.
There has also been advancement in personal care, with the new Dyson hair dryer.
Social Media
Social Media has also taken several steps forward this year, with Snap Inc’s Spectacles for Snapchat, Instagram Stories and Facebook Reactions. Spectacles have debuted in vending machines in the US, and are sunglasses with a camera in the corner, that you can use for filming videos and taking photos for use on Snapchat. Instagram debuted Stories, a competitor for Snapchat with updates that disappear. Facebook introduced Reactions to replace the Like button – allowing users to response with a variety of reactions instead of just likes, including Love, Sad and Angry.
Household assistants
Household assistants became popular in 2016, with Amazon’s Echo device being at the forefront of this. The Amazon Echo is designed as a household assistant with a built in AI (called Alexa) who can help you with things around the house including turning on lights, playing playlists of music and reminding you of tasks. The Echo now also comes in a smaller version – the Echo Dot. There is also Google’s new rival for the Amazon Echo – Google Home.
Amazon Dash buttons were introduced this year, allowing you to order items and restock on vital things like toilet roll and kitchen cleaner at the touch of a button.
There has also been an update to the Chromecast – Chromecast Ultra. This allows you to cast videos from your smartphone to your television with ease.
We look forward to seeing what 2017 brings!
