The Future of Media Is A Little... Too Bright?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

An iron robot wheels itself in front of you waiting for its next task. Welcome to the year 2040. When I think of the future I think of flying cars and robots that cater to your every command. The future of media in the next 20 years may not be so far off. Media has evolved over the past couple of decades and will continue to do so in the coming years.

The modern day paper newspaper and magazine would no longer be available. Both will now be digitized for online consumption. For the first time in years, The Guardian has made money instead of losing it. This is due to their push for more online content. Before, most of its revenue came from print advertising, now that only makes up 8%. For many newspaper and print magazines, this is the direction they will have to head in or face major losses. The option of going digital will prove itself to be eco-friendly since less trees will be used to create both of these forms of media.

Our way of communication will no longer require our devices. A chip will be implanted under the skin of newborns that will allow telecommunication wherever necessary. Currently there is already a chip that allows for individuals to purchase items without the need of a credit card.

Our communication will be like FaceTime, but instead a holographic figure of the call’s recipient would appear before you. It’s the next step forward from video chatting. If you find yourself in an area that a holographic figure appearing would be deemed inappropriate, conversations will still be available over the internet.

Cell phones in 20 years would become obsolete at this time because calls and texts would no longer require it. Emails and snail mail will still be an option for those who don’t agree with implant technology. People can still communicate via face-to-face interaction, but just like today’s day and age that would not be the norm unless you are meeting new people to add to your network.

You will be able to virtually hangout with all of your friends through the use of virtual reality systems. Facebook attempted to launch “Spaces” in 2017, a virtual world for friends to hang out, socialize, play games and more. The app is not doing so well currently because virtual reality headsets are expensive so many people do not own one. 20 years from now, this will no longer be an issue. The price of RCA’s CT-100 television was originally $495 (about $4,400 in today’s currency). Since the price was so high, many families went without television and would visit friends/relatives that had enough to purchase a set. But in today’s age you can purchase a television for merely $200 (a major difference from $4,400). The difference is mass production and accessibility.

Shopping will take on a mind of its own. When physically shopping in stores, mirrors will allow you to envision the clothes on you. Fitting rooms and getting stained items would be a thing of the past. Currently there are mirrors that will allow you to try on clothes without physically trying on clothes and test out new hair colors without physically dying your hair (CBS, 2015). I believe that in the year 2039, this technology will spread to online shopping as well. Users will be able to upload images of themselves and “try on” the clothes in their shopping cart. The days of ordering items and shipping them back are over. A credit card will become just a piece of plastic. The implanted chip will allow for efficient transactions. By use of the chip, our security within the world will increase. The chip is implanted into your skin and fingerprint verification is required for all purchases.

Televisions will not display your typical channels but instead different streaming services. Networks will move from regular television to streaming to continue to generate revenue. There is enough space for all of the streaming services to peacefully coexist. If anything, the only thing remaining on normal television will be news channels so that the government’s emergency alert system can still be used.

Computers will be our main source of entertainment. They will not be the typical ones we’d think of today. There would be computer soccer balls that can track your speed and how accurate your passes are. Baseballs will be able to track how fast your throw is. The idea of sports as we know it will be revolutionized by this new technology. During NFL games, the yellow line representing the first down is purely technology driven. Stats on the game and of the football itself will be visible during the game.

Artists in today’s age can go on hologram tours and be in two places at once. Musicians will not go on tour anymore and instead will send their holograms to various locations. This will result in the inflation of meet and greet prices. Seeing that holograms are now becoming our version of reality, movies and shows will be available through virtual reality. There are a few films that currently exist in virtual reality, but this will become the main form of consuming movies and television shows. This will be the next step after IMAX 3D movies.

The digital world as we know it will only expand in the coming years. The use of the implanted chip will allow for easier transactions and hologram communication will be a part of everyday life. Technology allows us to perform daily functions more efficiently and the introduction of these new technologies will do just that.