Smartphone is voted most life-changing technology of the last 25 years
A recent survey conducted by a UK telecommunications company shows nearly half of its participants dream of working from Bora Bora. 25 years ago, this probably would have involved being in the hospitality industry. Now, thanks to the widespread availability of technological advancements like the smart phone, it’s an imaginable reality for anyone who can afford the plane ticket.
A quarter of a century ago, the IBM Simon Personal Communicator made its debut in 1992, weighing 1 lb. and costing $899. Today, as 2017 comes to a close, it’s hard to imagine life without it. It is no wonder then that the same survey which found people dreaming about telecommuting from paradise also found that over 60 percent of people agree the smart phone is the most life-changing technology of the last 25 years.
The survey, conducted by the UK-based telecommunications company TSI, offers a snapshot of where we are versus where we’re going and where we’ve been. Gone are the days of floppy disks, 35 mm cameras, and pagers. Only 25 percent of the population still owns a corded mouse with a track ball. It’s been 20 years since WiFi was released to the public, 10 years since Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. People now spend an average of nearly 61 days a year connected to the internet – an astounding 25 percent of their waking hours. Nearly a quarter of persons believe Artificial Intelligence and robots will become mainstream in the next 25 years. 40 percent of people think that self-driving cars will be the norm by 2050.
The survey also found that over 60 percent of people require the internet for their work in some way, a number which can only be expected to increase exponentially as technology becomes more ubiquitous and as more and more people begin working remotely.
As TSI itself celebrates 25 years, it is releasing its Anywhere communication software. Anywhere is designed to enable businesses to connect from any location on any device without sacrificing collaboration and connectivity. It bundles business phone and desktop services to enable sharing and video-based conferencing.
Remote services such as this are changing how and where we work, offering unprecedented flexibility for employers and workers alike. This can only be seen as a positive, considering that 58 percent of people are spending more than seven hours each week commuting for business. That’s more than two weeks out of the year – two weeks better spent in Bora Bora.