One day, not too soon, but still sooner than you think, the smartphone will die - like some fax machine from the distant past. For the next ten years, a person will not be able to completely tear himself away from his beloved and so convenient gadget, and then he will simply not be needed. Elon Musk, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon and countless small but insanely ambitious startups are already laying the foundation for the ultimate destruction of the smartphone. And believe me, what will replace the already familiar technical miracle in your pocket will really be akin to science fiction.
Virtual assistants
Insider information suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S8 (available by pre-order) will come with a new virtual assistant, Bixby, that lets you control every feature and app with just your voice. Actually, the company is positioning the S8 as a guide to the whole ecosystem of devices that can be controlled with just a word. This is no longer a smartphone, but a completely new concept of human interaction with the surrounding tech world.
Ecosystem of steel
The next iPhone will also be focused on bringing augmented reality to our daily lives. Note that we are not talking about some distant future - all global changes of this kind are coming in the next couple of years. And as devices such as the Amazon Echo, Sony PlayStation VR, and Apple Watch continue to enjoy limited but significant success, experts expect to combine all of these devices into one interconnected ecosystem.
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Augmented reality
Microsoft, Facebook, Google and Google-backed startup Magic Leap are working to create standalone augmented reality headsets that project detailed 3D images directly into your eyes. Apple is rumored to be working on the same.
Digital vision
Microsoft's Alex Kipman said in a recent interview with Business Insider that augmented reality could soon replace smartphones, televisions and all other screen gadgets. This is quite logical: there is not so much sense from a separate device in your pocket if all calls, chats, films and games are projected directly into the user's eyes, organically located in the surrounding world.
Audio guides
At the same time, devices such as the Amazon Echo or Apple's own AirPods are becoming increasingly important in the world. As AI systems such as Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, Samsung's Bixby, and Microsoft's Cortana will certainly become smarter over time, the user will increasingly rely on audio information supplemented by video in the eyes.
Digital world
Most likely, we will soon see a gradual merging of the digital world and the real world. Major tech companies promise that this future means a world with fewer technological distractions and more balance, as the physical world will simply collapse under the onslaught of a new digital reality if left unprotected. Brothers (now sisters) Wachowski in the unforgettable "Matrix" predicted something similar.
Telepathy
And now it's time for something really crazy. This week Elon Musk unveiled his new company, Neuralink. Quite seriously (and, frankly, reasons not to believe a person so savvy), Musk said that in the next ten years a neural interface would be developed that would allow people to exchange thoughts. In other words, we are promised telepathy. Welcome to the future, gentlemen!