How consumer-based technology can change the future

Creating consumer-based technology has been a popular trend in recent years; developers have noticed success with their products by tailoring them to fit with consumer needs and trends. A perfect example of this is the Google search engine, known for its usability. The reason Google has been so successful is because the engineers who design the functionality behind the search engine do so in response to consumer needs. It is evident that technological innovation is being motivated by consumer trends, but what does this mean for technology on a higher level? Here are some thoughts:

User-Generated Content

Consumer trends have shown a high profit in allowing more integrated content to be developed by a greater number of third party institutions. Effectively, this means that more independent developers can make programs that run well on advanced devices, like the iPhone. Apple has designed the iPhone with this level of customization in mind and in doing so, expanded the use and practicality of their devices. User-generated content is a direct byproduct of consumer-based technology.

User-Friendly Applications

In order for any piece of technology to be successful, it must now be user-friendly. Products that are known for ease of use are dominating the market.  More and more companies are developing products and services that make life easier for the end user. Look at Google, one of the most advanced search engines available. Each new development adds a new layer of user interface that makes Google easy to use. For example, Google will fulfill your search query before you’ve finished typing it. How’s that for ease of use?

User Involvement

Consumers have gotten tired of sitting around all day interacting with their technology by typing or pointing or clicking. Devices have now become more diverse in how users can interact with them. Voice search, motion capture and capacitive touch technologies are all examples of how the consumer’s need to interact has affected the development of technology. Nintendo first implemented interactive gaming via movement with its Wii console, but Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect took this idea further. True, you can now control a video game by moving your hand in front of a screen, but you can also select a movie on Netflix, send an email or browse the Internet all without ever touching a device.

Many of these consumer-based technological advancements may seem to only consider the pleasure of the user and have little sensible implications.  It’s important to consider how these new technologies will affect the future.  User-generated and friendly content could one day allow hospitals the ability to develop personalized monitoring programs for each patient; code writing and development could be accessible to everyone. User involvement has endless implications for the development of new devices. Though consumer-based technology is motivated by profit, the possibilities for future technologies are still valuable to society as a whole.

To see some specific ways consumer technology is being implemented practically, take a look at this article.

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