How Has Technology Changed the World Over the Past 20 Years

How Has Technology Changed the World Over the Past 20 Years

Significant advancements in technology continue to transform our daily lives and societies as a whole. Ever since smartphones became a consumer commodity around a decade ago in 2010, we have witnessed globalization materialize right before our eyes in ways we never dreamed of. But it was really the dot-com bubble burst that occurred about 20 years ago that really set the globalization wave into motion.

As technological advancements become more commonplace, it's made it essential for businesses to be aggressive with their tech adoption practices. Here's a closer look at just how much technology has changed the world over the past 20 years.

Smartphones

You can't begin to judge how much technology has changed over the past 20 years unless you first take a look at smartphones. Even though mobile phones were around well before the turn of the 21st century, it was only during the past 20 years that they've achieved mass appeal. Why? Because when Apple released the iPhone back in 2007, it became apparent that smartphones were the future of all things personal and business. People quickly enjoyed how much convenience smartphones brought to their lives, and they have not put them down since. Nowadays, out of the 7.7 billion people walking this planet, nearly half of them have a smartphone.

Media Consumption

Another way that technology has changed the world is by increasing its media consumption, and this is mostly because of smartphones. We now essentially have small computers in our pockets, easily accessible no matter the time of day or night. Back before 2004, there weren't even 1 million users on Myspace. Fast forward a decade, and you'll find more than 2 billion users on social media platforms like Facebook. And as we use our smartphones for social connections and business purposes, we consume media of some sort. This has resulted in numerous businesses investing in mobile media advertising. In fact, a large number of brands across the globe have had to completely redo their budgets to include mobile media ad funds.

Biotech and Healthcare

The biotech boom began back in the 1990s, but it really began its biggest culmination in the early 2000s when Actelion Pharmaceuticals invested in research relating to human cells, blood vessels, and the bloodstream. The goal was to make advancements in disease treatment and prevention, and it was a success. Biotech and healthcare were also greatly revolutionized when telehealth became commonplace among medical providers; this was thanks to the many advancements that took place in relation to the internet and mobile device usage.

Gaming

Back at the turn of the century, the number of gamers was in the millions. A mere two decades later, this number jumps to 2.5 billion. What changed the world of gaming? The internet. Gaming became a new form of entertainment that appealed to the masses once it started featuring online playing capabilities. Used to, we were limited to playing Super Mario with our cousins in the living room. Now, though, we can game with family and friends from all over the globe from the comfort of our own smartphones, mobile devices, and gaming consoles.

3D Printing

You can't fully understand how advancements in technology have changed the world over the past 20 years unless you look at 3D printing. 3D printing devices have been around since the 1980s, but it wasn't until open-source software and the ability to manufacture the printers at a more cost-friendly rate that 3D printing remodeled the entire manufacturing industry. Today, we can make just about anything out of a 3D printer, including whole houses, manufacturing parts, medicines, and even human organs.