Public bin wearables as they move onto drones and 3D printers

Wearables, digital music devices, digital cameras and e-readers will become “redundant” in 2016, according to an annual survey of consumers conducted for industry organisation IEEE. Meanwhile, the most influential technology items are expected to be drones, smart phones and 3D printers.

The survey questioned over 2,000 adults in the UK. When asked, from a list of technologies that included laptops, tablets and dating apps, which, if any, would be “redundant/unnecessary” in 2016, digital music devices and digital cameras were in the joint top spot with 15 percent selecting each of them.

In second place, 9 percent of respondents said e-readers. Surprisingly, said the IEEE, wearables, which includes items such as Google Glass and Fitbit, featured just outside the top three with 8 percent of respondents thinking they will be redundant/unnecessary in the coming year.

From the same list of technologies, respondents were asked which, if any, will be “significantly influential” this year. Drones were picked out by 43 percent, followed closely by smart phones with 38 percent and 3D printing (31 percent).

Kevin Curran, IEEE senior member, said: “It is no coincidence that the three technologies predicted to become redundant result from the success of one – the smartphone. It is the de facto way to listen to music and read ebooks and it has taken over the digital camera market, and many believe it will also bring about the demise of the tablet and PC.”

He said: “With sensors now being added to phones, the future for wearables and scanners could be questionable too. Strangely, one of the smartphone uses which is declining is making phone calls.”

When asked which technologies they would like to see more widely available to purchase in 2016, home automation (20 percent), electric cars (19 percent) and 3D printing (17 percent) came out on top.

@AntonySavvas