After a year that made the terms WFH (work from home) and metaverse instantly recognizable, there’s a host of new tech trends heading into 2022.
Here’s a selection of how technology can change lives in the coming year:
Meat without meat
Meat alternatives have become popular in more and more households in the United States, in part because plant-based products Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods come closer to the texture and flavor of beef or pork.
As products have improved and prices have fallen, demand has been fueled by environmental concerns: raising food animals causes 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to United Nations figures. man-made glass.
The global market for plant-based meats is expected to be worth $35 billion (about 2,62,270 crore) by 2027 – up from $13.5 billion (about 1.01,160 crore) in 2020, thanks in part to expansion beyond the US, according to a report from Research and Markets.
David Bchiri, president of the US consulting firm Fabernovel, said: “The year 2022 will be the year of the throne of foods made from plant-based proteins. “The products are mature and good. They will become mainstream.”
‘Web 3.0’ and Cryptocurrency
The first stage of the Internet was the creation of websites and blogs, which allowed the emergence of companies such as Yahoo!, eBay, or Amazon.
The next iteration is Web 2.0, defined by social media and user-generated content on sites like Facebook and YouTube.
These platforms “take the money and control it, they let you on their platform,” summarizes Benedict Evans, an independent analyst specializing in Silicon Valley.
So, is Web 3.0 coming out?
In this iteration, “users, creators, and developers will have shares and votes” in a platform the way a partnership works, Evans said on “Another Podcast.”
Such a revolutionary step could be made possible thanks to blockchain technology, where computer programs run on a network of thousands or millions of computers.
So far, blockchain has enabled the rise of electronic money as Bitcoinand more recently, unique digital objects such as drawings or animations are known as NFT.
“We talk a lot about decentralized finance, but I think in 2022 we will see more localized use cases, coming to life,” said Bchiri of consulting firm Fabernovel. daily”.
As volatile cryptocurrencies like bitcoin hit record high values in 2021, a wide range of players entered the game, including versions issued by the cities of Miami and New York. eye.
Ransomware, everywhere
The spike in ransomware attacks and record data leaks in 2021 looks set to spill over into next year.
Ransomware attackers break into a victim’s network to encrypt data, then demand a ransom, usually paid in cryptocurrency, in exchange for it.
A combination of factors has fueled the trend, including the explosive value of cryptocurrencies, the willingness of victims to pay, and the difficulty authorities face in catching attackers. labour.
Cybersecurity firm SonicWall wrote at the end of October: “With 495 million ransomware attacks recorded by the company this year to date, 2021 will be the most costly and dangerous year on record.”
“When I think about 2022, the most important thing to me and my colleagues continues to be ransomware,” wrote Sandra Joyce, executive vice president and head of global intelligence at cybersecurity firm Mandiant. It’s simply too tempting.”
Big tech regulation?
It’s hard to say whether 2022 will be the year Big Tech will finally be hit with significant new rules, but a host of regulatory and regulatory threats will be introduced in 2021. great battles.
In the United States, the lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission’s reliance on Facebook is a real threat to the social media giant, although a court has dismissed the case once. .
More lawsuits and a federal investigation – and possibly even new legislation eventually – could follow a damning rumor leak that shows Facebook executives know their websites. may cause harm.
Some critics say the company’s big push in realizing the metaverse – a virtual reality version of the Internet – is an attempt to change the subject after years of criticism.
Apple dodge a bullet in 2021 as a US federal court states Fortnite inventor Epic game failed to display Iphone giant holds an illegal monopoly, but the company is still ordered to relax control over its App Store. Both sides have appealed.
New regulations could come into existence sooner in the European Union as the country passes new laws, such as the Digital Services Act that will create much stricter scrutiny of harmful content and illegal on platforms like Facebook.
