The ‘Internet of Things’ has become a 21st century talking point with the increased growth of ‘smart device connectivity’. We previously explored this in 2014 in 'Internet of Things' - From cars to cookers, it's a connected revolution.

While on work experience, Henry Walton of Hockerill Anglo-European College looked into the growing Smartwatch phenomenon.

Is now the time of the Smartwatch?

Growth of the Industry

2012 saw the rise of a new industry following the success of the newly founded smartwatch company Pebble. The company pitched their e-ink display smartwatch to crowdfunding platform Kickstarter in April that year and received $100,000 in the first 2 hours after the project went live. The project went on to raise over $10,000,000 from 70,000 backers, demonstrating the substantial demand for intelligent wearable technology.

The Pebble Watch

Although fitness bands and simplistic smartwatches have been in existence for almost 10 years, it was Pebble’s success that acted as the catalyst for the smartwatch industry’s growth. Other major brands such as Samsung, LG and Motorola quickly followed suit and released their own products across 2013/14.

The latest advancements in human-like robots have led many to reflect on the future of AI, robotics and the governing ethics. Rachel Gbolaru Yr12 student from The Bishops Stortford High School explored many unanswered questions they pose whilst on work experience at Delta2020.

At an IT conference in late 2017, the artificially intelligent humanoid robots, Sophia, was granted citizenship by Saudi Arabia, and became the first ‘non-human’ to have a nationality. Sophia was appointed the UN’s first non-human “innovation champion.” Although most observers saw this act as more of a publicity stunt than a meaningful legal recognition, some found this gesture as openly disparaging human rights and the law. This controversial issue has raised some very important questions that are yet to be answered. Should robots be granted rights? What kind of rights should they be given? 

iPhone sales have decreased by 50% since 2015. Max O'Reilly, Year 10 student from The Bishops Stortford High School on work experience at Delta2020, decided to look into the diminishing role of the smartphone in the future mobile device industry.

Since the first iPhone was announced in 2007, there have been 21 different variations on the original iPhone model. But, while there is obvious change, the designs have never substantially moved on.

It is quite probable that you are reading this blog on your phone, yet more than likely that would not have been the case ten years ago! With the rate of technological change ever increasing and only accelerated further by COVID-19 Yr11 it provided student Hannah Beckett from The Bishops Stortford College the opportunity to explore what the next decade in tech will look like.  

From ‘Hover Boards’ to voice activated ‘personal assistants’ one would think that the modern age of technology is certainly in no shortage of variety. Considering the last decade of technology has borne substantial significance in combating the problems of today such as climate change which, thanks to Elon Musk and the four fellow founders of Tesla, has consequently, led to a 3.6 million ton depletion in CO2 globally. Thus, in a world where technology plays such a large role in everybody’s day to day life, it has led me to consider the part it may play over the next ten years.