High-level trends

Hey guys,

As an entrepreneur, I'm always thinking about the future: what's the next product I can sell? What's the next marketing campaign? The next opportunity?

The more I work, though, the more I realize that my perception is limited and that I'm missing out on good opportunities just because I don't know of their existence.

Or worse, because I'm late to the party.

It's like living in a bubble. We only know about things we know.

What about things we don't know?

To understand things out of my bubble, I built Treendly.

Here are some high-level trends that are emerging. If you want more specific product or company trends, check out the link above.

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Tech in Sports

Sports have long been unimaginable without the audience cheering and creating an atmosphere of competitiveness. As many world top athletes and teams slowly come out on the field, they realize how every game possesses a health risk and to do sports, and they need to look after themselves more than ever.

For many, this is the time for significant innovations in sports and in the way we organize big sporting events. There will new forms of contactless paying on stadiums to reduce contact. Also, players will have to wear protective shields to cover themselves from droplets; they will wear new types of glasses to follow the game, smartwatches that might detect first traces of coronavirus, and many more. There are indications about NBA players already using smart rings that follow their health and can potentially detect initial stages of any respiratory disease.

Contactless Shopping

After a recent survey where more than 70% of Americans said they no longer feel comfortable buying in a conventional retail shop, it became clear that brands need to change their approach to customers if they want them in stores. A brand called Snowfields decided to use all tech available to present new products in a revolutionary digitalized store that is completely contactless.

Both physical and digital platforms were connected to a new store app that would allow customers to get more information about products and contactless paying. The customer would make an appointment and, through the app, see augmented in-store experience. During the walk, clients would use the store app as a virtual retailer advisor, and before coming out, they could pass a check out paying without any human interaction.

Upgrade in Communication Tools

Several big and small IT companies have concluded that using Zoom as an only communication platform became uninspiring. Many of them tried different approaches of how to make these online meetings more fun, from calling animals, listening to live music, to designing vivid backgrounds, and it still has not given any significant results. That's why an IT giant Microsoft decided to take things in their hands, upgrading Microsoft Teams with a new feature called "Together mode."

This layout will show you an auditorium with each participant in one place. Microsoft is confident that this layout will seem more natural than a conventional grid. This way, people will feel more at ease since they can see others in a place that resembles a classroom or an office tricking their brain into behaving normally. Together mode came to fruition after years of research on online human behavior and proving how simple zoom-like squares are not the best way of corporate communication after all.

Contactless Hotels

The COVID-19 pandemic influenced hospitality on all levels with immense severity. For a while, hotel chains are trying to find a way to protects future guests from all unnecessary touching, and sometimes it seems like an impossible task. Contactless technology is one of the best solutions so far since it will make people feel better as they won't have to touch a lot of things in their room.

Services like tv and air conditioning could be adjusted through a specific hotel mobile app as well as check-in and ordering food, ensuring that the customer does not have to touch any surface or interact with anyone. Hoteliers envision a future where guests will have as little hands-on activities as possible to feel safe from any virus.

Hope it helps!