Time to cast off and accept the cordless future
About a month ago Apple released its new MacBook Pro notebook. Many early users advised against buying it since it lacks some of the “pro” features of its predecessor, such as an SD card reader and ports for HDMI ethernet and USB. To use an SD card reader, you need to purchase a dongle.
This eradication of features has occurred with other new devices this year and it prompts one big question – is the world of technology moving too fast for users?
The new iPhone 7 does not have a headphone jack, and rumours say the Galaxy S8 will follow suit. Some people didn’t mind this, but most people hated the fact that a smartphone brand they love removed an important feature that had been around for decades.
Why are tech companies killing off beloved features? Well, it’s because we are moving to a wireless future. In a few years Bluetooth headsets now in development will supersede headphone jacks. But since Bluetooth is not yet considered advanced enough, isn’t it too early to scrap headphone jacks from flagship phones?
Then there are smartwatches, which some now say are a passing trend and a waste of money. When they were introduced they were typically slow due to limitations in the operating systems.
Fast forward to the end of 2016 and smartwatches have more apps and faster operating systems. I predict that, in a few years time, wrist computers will be commonplace.
Let’s face it, the world of technology is changing very fast. Suddenly being faced with a laptop without any ports might seem like a big leap, but the cordless world will seem logical in the near future. So instead of grumbling about companies advancing too quickly, we should accept that the future will be “floating”, and move along with it.
Srinivasan Vikram
(The Star/ANN)
