A new report published by Plusnet earlier today reveals that the internet is set to become even more ubiquitous in many people’s lives, transforming the way we shop, eat and run our homes. The report also reveals the role the internet will play in our everyday lives fifteen years from now. Plusnet commissioned the research to help celebrate our 15th birthday, enlisting the help of globally renowned futurist think tank, Centre for Future Studies. Written by a team headed by Dr Frank Shaw, who has been described by Time Magazine as one of the 10 most influential thinkers in the world, the report unveils that the internet will include everything from smart appliances that talk to each other to clothes that monitor our health; from cars that can't crash to mobile technologies and cloud platforms that run our businesses. However these benefits will not be felt by all of society. There are currently still 8.43million adults in the UK who have never used the internet and it is estimated that digitally challenged households face £560 of extra costs per year as a result of missing out on online discounts and opportunities. With people already using the internet for activities including: shopping; banking; study; job application and government services, the availability and affordable pricing of broadband will be crucial in terms of household finances and also social mobility. Providing some of the best value home phone and broadband packages available in the UK, Plusnet is committed to enabling people to experience the benefits of being online; something which is going to become increasingly important in the future. Jamie Ford, CEO of Plusnet, said:
“So far, the internet has been all about sharing, communicating and engaging with content online. The next 15 years will see an exciting transformation take place, where we integrate ‘smart devices’ into the home, and the net becomes much more about rich services. Since our launch 15 years ago we’ve moved from dial-up services to wireless connection transmitted through fibre optics at superfast speeds, yet our commitment to providing a reliable service at a competitive price remains the same. We intend to continue this pledge in years to come. “Helping people to discover the internet is key to the progress of technology and just by giving an hour of your time to teach the basics of computing and the internet to a friend or family member could completely change their life.”
The research shows that while the internet is the most fundamental life changing event since the Industrial Revolution we are, incredibly, only predicted to be 15 per cent of the way through it and that future developments will have radical life enhancing benefits, therefore placing even greater importance on providing access to the internet at an affordable price. The home internet of the future will change the way we run our homes, the way we enjoy entertainment, the way we work, the way we shop and the way we communicate and as a result place even greater emphasis on the importance of being able to access affordable internet.
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot access the internet.” Dr. Frank Shaw, Foresight Director, Centre for Future Studies
The Internet of 2027:
The House
- Face recognition software in doors will run strangers faces against a criminal database ensuring complete security.
- Sensors will track all items in your home and their whereabouts so you never lose anything again.
- Vast neural networking system will connect all appliances, TV's, PC's, video, security and remote handheld or Bluetooth-type devices.
- Pre-programmed smart home technology, which can be controlled from smart phones, will take care of day-to-day chores.
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Shopping
- E-commerce will become F-commerce - online consumers will be able to enjoy a tailored shopping experience based on Facebook 'Likes'. You will be able to follow the advice from your friends online, see what friends have bought, what they own, even what they want.
- Cupboards will have sensors that tell you when stocks are getting low and send orders directly to shops.
- They will calculate healthy individual diets for you based on each member of the household's personal needs.
Entertainment
- Walls, ceilings and floors will become interactive sensory screens which will take computer games and 3D movies to on another level.
- By combining future augmented reality, virtual reality and mediated reality movies and television will be more interactive than ever before.
- High-definition video will be augmented by realistic surround sound.
- The Internet will enable you to be able to dial up the sensory stimulus or dial down the sensory overload on demand.
- You will just have to think about what you want to see and do in your future home entertainment centre and it will become reality in a nanosecond.
The home office
- The ability for everything to always be connected will mean that work will no longer be a place - work will be anywhere the worker is.
- 3D contact lenses will allow you to have all the information you ever need instantly before your eyes.
- 3D holographic conferencing will allow you to be present in any office in the world.
Health
- Our health will be constantly monitored in the home of the future through inbuilt sensors to the house and our clothes.
- Doctors will be able to hold virtual consultations in the comfort of your home.
- Toilets will monitor waste therefore detecting any serious illnesses and ensuring early treatment.
A full copy of today's report, 'The homepage of our lives' can be downloaded in Word format here. Let us know what you think in the comments below, and if you have any predictions of your own for the future of the internet ...