Technological Innovations Improving the Internet

The internet has become an essential part of society — from connecting people across the world, to allowing people to work and get an education entirely online. According to Cyber Security Intelligence, 95% of all information can be found on the internet — which is why most people are connected to it 24/7. Virtual banking and e-commerce are just some of the other aspects of internet use that have been on a trajectory in recent years. However, there are still many new innovations that continue to improve the internet experience. So below we have detailed some notable technological innovations in recent years.

Voice search

Voice search is becoming more popular, with Juniper Research predicting that there will be 8 billion digital assistants by 2023. 41% of adults and 55% of teens already use voice search every day — and its popularity stems from its sheer convenience. In response to this demand, Google is working on making audio content more visible in online searches. This new development has brands scrambling to optimize their sites for audio — making sure they are memorable and easily searchable. Indeed, audio optimization is fast-becoming an important part of search engine optimization (SEO) strategies.

Of course, SEO itself isn’t new. With digital marketing firm Ayima highlighting how crucial SEO is in driving organic traffic, the adoption of audio is a new discipline that both small and major businesses are getting to grips with but ultimately maximize in the future. An example of an easily optimizable soundbite with great recall comes from one of Ayima’s major clients, British Airways. The airline has a sound that is easily recognizable, and therefore searchable. They use a short audio clip called the Flower Duet, which is from the opera Lakmé, which is now used for every touchpoint of the airline.

5G

The world is going mobile, with Statista estimating that 67% of people worldwide own a mobile device. This means more data is being consumed, especially since video and music streaming is becoming more common as well. However, when many people try to use online mobile services at the same time, spectrum bands end up congested. This leads to possible service breakdowns — but 5G is the answer to this problem. It’s essentially the next generation of mobile internet that gives users much quicker data upload and download speeds with lower lag.

5G runs on different frequencies, which lead to different kinds of experiences: low, middle, and high. All in all, high-band is the latest development in 5G. Verizon explains that it provides frequencies that are short-range but can give very fast speeds. It’s not yet widely available, but Verizon is currently working on expanding high-band 5G coverage.

Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of devices that are connected to and through the internet. There will be at least 64 billion IoT devices by 2026. At present, it is widely found in smart homes — such as using Amazon Echo to play music, turn off the lights, control the thermostat, and more. Similarly, cars have been using the IoT as well. These vehicles utilize GPS, access and send data, and even download software updates/patches. On a larger scale, the IoT can help improve public health too. For instance, environmental startup Aclima partnered with different researchers and companies to create a detailed block-by-block map of air pollution in Oakland, California to help policymakers identify and lessen pollution in areas. True enough, this was made possible by none other than the IoT. In small and big ways, the internet is revolutionizing how we go about our everyday lives. And it will be exciting to see where this digital transformation will take us in the coming years.

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Author Bio:

Riley Milner is a freelance writer with interests in robotics and technology trends. In her free time, she likes reading and tinkering with robotics kits for beginners.