How Technology Will Affect Hardware Companies This Year From faster-running computers, to devices that unlock at the touch of a thumb, this year's technological changes are guaranteed to have an impact.
By AJ Agrawal Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Thanks to technology, today's consumers and businesses no longer see streamlined communication as a luxury. And that trend will grow, with each generation of new devices expected to further improve on human-computer interaction.
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For hardware companies, keeping up with these innovations in technology will be key to attracting consumers to purchase their products. And this year won't be any different.
From faster-running computers, to devices that unlock at the touch of a thumb, this year's technological changes are guaranteed to have an impact.
So, if yours is a hardware company looking to sustain a consumer base, staying on top of the top technological advances is crucial. Here are the top trends expected to change hardware companies this year:
1. Product logistics
Products and services would be futile to all business if users couldn't actually obtain them. That's why the key to any business's success is an effective product distribution plan. This year, technology is streamlining the process of managing the warehousing and distribution of products. More importantly, it's allowing consumers and brands to track their purchases from the warehouse all the way to delivery.
This technology is helping businesses to increase revenue, too. GPS systems now track products that a year ago might have become lost or gone overlooked. New management software is contributing to revenue, as well: Because managers can better keep track of routes and employees, businesses can decide on fuel-efficient routes and cheaper delivery times.
Technology advances are revolutionizing the computer hardware industry, in particular. Because a major objective of hardware companies is to to keep customers connected, a riveting technological innovation will be worth its weight in gold.
2. Harder, better, faster, stronger
Just a few years ago, the introduction of the iPad prompted brands to prematurely declare the death of the PC. New device categories, such as 2-in-1s and Ultrabooks, however, have proved those brands wrong. In turn, consumers are expecting hardware companies to take a few tips from these products' functionality.
Meaning that this year's consumers will require lightening-speed devices and more hassle-free experiences from the products they buy.
Consumers and businesses love tablets, for example, because they're easy and adaptable. Customers can slip them into their pockets or bags without having to account for excessive weight or potential risk. These are innovations that brands implemented into their models to make them more compatible to a consumer's everyday tasks. This trend will continue.
Consumer demands are also urging brands to create thinner computers, with lasting durability. Longer battery life is a priority. That's right, consumers are looking to purchase items whose batteries won't drain with each new window they open. As such, hard-drive updates will have to account for the various applications that run in the background of an average user's computer.
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3. Tech Is cutting the big cord
The widening access to today's technologies has also tacked on new responsibilities and chores for consumers: These days, they don't just have to keep track of the various devices they own; now they have to make sure their batteries don't run out. And lost chargers are now the new universal woe.
Fortunately for consumers, wireless charging systems are fixing this burden. Yet, for companies that used to reap the benefits of misplaced chargers, these innovations might be a bit of a burden in itself.
What do the big brands think of all this? Intel, Dell and Apple are just a few of the companies competing to introduce a product that allows consumers to simply set hardware down for a charge. Hardware companies will likely take tips from that investment by focusing more on the functionality of their products. Besides introducing batteries that last longer, they'll likely consider the importance of convenience for customers as well.
4. Biometric sensors
This year's technological changes will continue to revolutionize users' expectations of security. Fingerprint reads have become an emerging software feature for computers in recent years, and this year won't be any different. In fact, with service providers like banks rolling out Touch ID as an added feature, customers have a new expectation when it comes to their security: convenience.
No one wants to type a 99-character alphanumeric sequence on their devices for a password; and 2017's hardware can be expected to adapt.
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Hardware companies will account for this new standard by adopting more secure safety measures. This step will likely include the use of biometric sensors as a product attribute -- one of the new trends in today's ever-evolving technology.
