Experts tip top tech trends 2018, from autonomous public transport to augmented reality shopping

TECHNOLOGY will run your life like never before this year, automatically setting dinner dates and driving you there.

NEW technology coming this year will automatically schedule lunch dates with friends, teach your children how to code, show you how that couch will look in lounge room and drive you around the city.

These are some of the predictions for trends and gadgets likely to change our lives in 2018, from autonomous public buses and internet-connected toys to flexible phones and more augmented reality apps.

But not all of the trends will be positive: internet security experts also warn to lock down your sensitive information more than ever.

Lauren Madsen loves her Google Home device. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Smart speakers that respond to voice commands are expected to be among the most prevalent technological additions this year, with Telstra chief technology officer Andrew Scott predicting 2018 would be “the year of the connected speaker”.

“We expect to see the rise of the Apple HomePod device, Amazon Alexa in Australia, the Sonos One, and a few others,” he said.

These speakers could be told to set appointments, locate nearby stores, answer trivia questions, or provide “a much more natural way” to find and play the song you want to hear, Mr Scott said, but could control smart lights or doorbells for people with mobility challenges.

More augmented reality apps could also help around the house, Mr Scott predicted, by allowing furniture buyers to see what the products will look like in their home before they purchased it.

The same technology could also be used to virtually try on clothes.

A prototype of Apple's new HomePod is displayed during the 2017 Apple Worldwide Developer Conference.

“We’re seeing the smartphone replace the street map, the camera, the watch, the torch ... so here we’re seeing smartphones replace the tap measure,” he said.

Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi said artificial intelligence would also help to make life easier by proactively suggestion meetings, appointments, and even appropriate birthday presents for friends and family members.

“If you’ve made a promise to catch up with someone in the next few weeks and you haven’t put it in your calendar, these new proactive apps will alert you to things you’ve missed and automatically suggest a date,” he said.

“They will also remind you about anniversaries and birthdays and make gift recommendations.”

Australians can also expect to see more autonomous public transport trials, with a new driverless shuttle bus planned for Sydney’s Olympic Park this year, the emergence of more cryptocurrencies, faster deliveries from online stores, and possibly a smartphone with a folding screen.

Ikea Place is a ground-breaking home-furnishing app that allows you to accurately and virtually place furniture in your home.

But McAfee Asia Pacific chief technology officer Ian Yip said Australians should also be careful to protect their data from the growing threat of ransomware and smartphone malware.

“Obviously, keep your software up to date, make sure everything you click on is legitimate, avoid using pirated software, and think about setting passphrases rather than passwords because sentences are harder to crack,” he said.

10 TOP TECH TRENDS FOR 2018

Smart speakers

Google will answer questions you pose to its smart speaker now, but it will get a lot more competition in 2018. Apple, Amazon, and Sonos will all launch internet-connected devices that play the songs you request, set alarms and appointments, and even let you order groceries. Both Apple’s HomePod and Amazon’s Alexa-enabled devices are due in Australia early this year.

Proactive apps

This use of artificial intelligence, seen from providers including Google and Microsoft, could actually help you become more social as it scrutinises your email and calendar appointments, reminds you of travel times, and even suggests meetings. If you tell a friend you should really catch up some time, for example, it will suggest a meeting time if you later forget.

Coding toys

More toys will surreptitiously teach children how to program a computer this year, even though it feels like fun. Telstra’s Andrew Scott points to Sphero’s $80 Mini robotic ball as an example, and also the BBC’s $20 Micro:bit computer accessory that can be programmed to perform actions from a web browser or a smartphone.

eSports

It’s the multimillion-dollar sport you might not have heard about but eSports is expected to rise in prominence, participants, and prizemoney in 2018. Gfinity plans to launch an Australian tournament with teams based around cities this year, after the LG Dire Wolves became the first Aussie team to compete in the League of Legends World Championship.

Smarter transport

Driverless cars are slowly making their way to Australian roads, but autonomous public transport might win the race. A Perth shuttle bus service with no driver in sight is operating a successful trial now, while another is planned for Sydney’s Olympic Park this year.

Flexible phone screens

The dream of a big phone that folds down into a small device could finally arrive this year. Samsung is tipped to win the flexible phone screen race with a device called the Galaxy X that features a high-resolution, 4K touchscreen that can fold in two. The company has been working on the technology for at least six years, and similar advances are tipped for Apple.

Augmented reality

No need to measure your house before you buy a couch: simply add it to the room virtually and move it to the right location. It’s one application for augmented reality apps that will multiply this year, offering everything from virtual clothes change rooms to Pokemon Go-like experiences.

Online and mobile attacks

Expect to see more ransomware outbreaks this year and more attempts to steal your smartphone data. The success of high-profile ransomware attacks last year will likely inspire more attempts to hijack your data, and users should be wary of risky behaviour online and set ‘passphrases’ rather than ‘passwords’.

New cryptocurrencies

While Bitcoin has dominated attention and skyrocketed in value, more digital currencies are emerging to challenge its leadership. Popular cryptocurrency app Coinbase recently added Bitcoin Cash to its portfolio, and also trades in Ethereum and Litecoin. Alternative currencies, or altcoins, such as Ripple, Neo and Dash are also expected to see higher trading this year.

Faster delivery

Amazon Australia’s launch might not have single-handedly revolutionised online shopping, or even delivered items by Christmas, but it’s set to improve this year and encourage other retailers to match it. The retail giant is tipped to launch its Prime service, that offers fast shipping for a subscription fee, in Australia this year, and Woolworths will trial one-hour deliveries from selected stores in Sydney.

Originally published as Experts tip top tech trends 2018, from autonomous public transport to augmented reality shopping