This is a mega-trend that consists of the following sub-trends:
- Wearable Computing - Google Glass and smartwatches are just the beginning of this trend. People will use vary devices to connect to other devices and networks via wireless technologies such as Bluetooth.
- Big Data - Currently we are creating petabytes of digital data about ourselves: where we were, what we did, what we saw and what we said. This is a rich source of information that can be mined in addition to all other kinds of data being collected.
- Sensor Data - With many more things being tracked by digital sensors, we can gain much more insights into all aspects of our world, our home lives and our work environments. This data can lead to insights in which we can advance our quality of life, science and the efficiency of business.
- Social Networking - Now that this technology is becoming ubiquitous, it is generating the type of data that can allow us to have huge insights into society.
- Location Data - This type of data is doubling every 18 months. This is happening because of the increasing use of smartphones and location apps such as Foursquare and Waze.
For the consumer: much more personalized and anticipatory experience. The right data can help you plan better and make more informed decisions.
For Industry:
- Information shared by consumers can help market items to consumers that they are actually interested in. This will increase returns on efforts as well as produce a better experience for consumers.
- Information gained from employees in the workplace could help improve work environments, workflow and other business processes.
- Information shared via B2B can help companies create greater synergies.
