How will the real and virtual worlds intersect in the future?
The new Facebook research report called ‘Shifts for 2020: Blurring Boundaries’ predicts a future that will drive communication and points out the imperative shifts in trends.
The Facebook research report intends to explore how new technologies will amplify one of the oldest instincts of human nature – to communicate. Imagine the world where human communication has come full circle. We now see that visuals are vital and we hear that voice is on the rise. However, these evolving communication patterns almost recall a time before writing existed. Only in the future, our visuals will appear not on cave walls but within Virtual Reality (VR) headsets and our voice commands will be processed through Artificial Intelligence (AI).
According to Facebook, by 2020, over 75 pc of the world’s mobile data traffic will be video. While the future is full of opportunities to help steer you where people are headed, here is Facebook IQ telling you the five tech-driven shifts that will change the way we connect, come together and create a community.
Increased media consumption speed
People spend an average of 1.7 seconds looking at a given piece of content. Younger people scroll twice as fast as the older generation and people can recall content after seeing it for just 0.25 seconds. These are not just discrete data but talks about how the average attention span of people is getting shorter. As people are exposed to a continuous and ever-growing stream of information, our ability to consume it has sped up. And as both findings are even more pronounced among younger generations, the future will be fast.
Mobile video explosion
The world’s appetite for video is undeniable. The appeal of the video also seems to be biological. And as the Facebook report rightly points out mobile and millennials are fuelling the continued growth of video. This is aided by the global connectivity becoming faster, screens getting better and both becoming more affordable. It is observed that mobile is driving the rise of video, among people surveyed across the UAE and UK, 71 pc say their online video viewing has increased over the past year. People are 1.5 times more likely to watch video daily on a smartphone than on a computer and millennials are 1.35 times more likely than older generations to say they find it easier to focus when watching videos on mobile.
The rise of live video
Another trend that has come to the forefront is that people have started to share their moments and experiences together, even when not physically together. And thanks to new technology, people are doing this in more heightened, multisensory, collective and simultaneous ways than ever. Going live is the trend, as daily watch time for Facebook Live broadcasts grew four times over the course of a year. On Facebook one in five videos is now a live broadcast and on Messenger people played 1.5 billion Instant Games together in the first 90 days of 2017.
Impact of AR and VR technology – virtual assistants
The Facebook report calls it the ‘Fluid Realities’ as some say the mixed reality movement took off with Pokémon Go. But it’s really just getting started, and we are at the dawn of the next wave of computing. From gaming to documentary storytelling to inspiring social good, the possibilities for creating empathy, connection, and transportive experiences will only continue to grow. And even as the lines between augmented reality, augmented virtuality, mixed reality, and virtual reality blur, people’s enthusiasm and expectations for the future of reality seem increasingly clear. Among people surveyed in Nigeria, South Korea, the UK and US – 68 pc see VR becoming part of everyday life while 54 pc think VR will mean people never have to miss an important event. The survey also found 51 pc are excited about VR as part of their shopping experience.
For more insightful stories and assistance on building your digital strategy for your future needs, contact us at Asiacom.