Source: Ericsson website. Infographic summarizing the 10 hot consumer trends for 2019.
· Consumers anticipate that smart speakers will participate in family disagreements, much like human family members do.
· Users of virtual assistants believe that devices capable of understanding human emotions will be commonplace within the next three years.
· Users of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) express a desire for interactive, virtual assistance with practical tasks such as cooking or completing repairs.
Ericsson has published the eighth edition of its ConsumerLab trend report, 10 Hot Consumer Trends 2019, which outlines predictions from 34 million early technology adopters.
This most recent yearly report examines consumer opinions and forecasts about near-future technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), VR, 5G, and automation. The report reveals that self-operating and mood-predicting technology could soon become more integral to people’s daily lives.
Dr. Michael Björn, the Head of Research Agenda at Ericsson Consumer & IndustryLab, and lead author of the report, states: “Imagine a smartphone that not only recognizes your actions but also comprehends your identity. Currently, AI possesses the capability to discern your personality simply by analyzing your eyes. It is evident that technology adopters foresee a future in which our devices possess a deeper understanding of us than we do of them.”
The 10 hot consumer trends for 2019 and the future include:
Awareables
Over six in ten individuals who utilize virtual assistants believe that devices with the ability to interpret human emotions will become prevalent within the next three years.
Smart quarrels
More than 65% of virtual assistant users predict that within three years, smart speakers will engage in arguments similar to those between family members.
Spying apps
Over 45% of consumers believe that apps gather data about them even when they are not actively using the app.
Enforced agreement
Fifty-one percent of consumers express frustration with the requirement to constantly consent to data collection cookies.
Internet of skills
More than half of those who use AR or VR desire apps, glasses, and gloves that offer virtual instruction for practical, everyday tasks, such as cooking or performing repairs.
Zero-touch consumption
Approximately half of virtual assistant users express a preference for automated bill payments and subscription renewals, in addition to self-restocking household supplies.
Mental obesity
One-third (31%) of consumers anticipate that they will soon frequent “mind gyms” to engage in cognitive exercises, as daily decision-making processes become increasingly automated.
Eco Me
Close to four out of every ten (39%) consumers want a smartwatch that monitors their individual carbon footprint.
Digital twins
Almost half (48%) of individuals who use AR or VR desire online avatars that can precisely replicate their likeness, enabling them to be present in two locations simultaneously.
5G automates society
Approximately 20% of smartphone users believe that 5G will enhance the connectivity of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including household appliances and utility meters.
Regarding whether this near-future technology should be perceived as a threat or an opportunity, Dr. Pernilla Jonsson, Head of Consumer & IndustryLab at Ericsson, states: “We have already entered an era characterized by interaction and collaboration between humans and intelligent machines. To date, we have taken only small steps into the future. The majority of the zero-touch future remains to be developed – and the power to shape that future still rests in our hands.”
Details:
*The insights presented in this report are derived from over 23 years of global research conducted by Ericsson ConsumerLab and are primarily based on data collected from an online survey administered in October 2018, which involved advanced Internet users residing in ten influential cities worldwide.