Technology has been increasing rapidly at an exponential pace in recent years. What might be cutting edge today might be as obsolete in 6 months as Windows XP is now to Windows 7.
Those hit hardest by this rapid growth are industries that have to contend with the changing expectations of their customers. Having to stay on the cusp of technology can be prohibitively expensive when you are constantly buying the newest gear, which ends up having to be a fine balancing act of when to purchase new hardware or software but not hemorrhage money unnecessarily. Not all industries are up to the task, just ask the chimney sweep for his opinion on the matter.
At the same time, some industries have kept up spectacularly, here are a few noteworthy ones:
News Broadcasting
It seems that each and every month, new cameras are released as well as rigs to mount them from. Eventually, the cameraman job might be completely remotely operated the same way the US military flies a drone. According to Wesley Dodd from Celebro (https://celebromedia.com/), a high-quality newsroom should have robotic cameras and the newest LED lighting. Once people have noticed that higher quality content is being released, they tend to expect all worthwhile content after that to be produced at the same quality. People are much less likely to trust a given news source if they are using outdated equipment. The news broadcasting industry has been increasingly resilient on this front with the bigger stations broadcasting in full HD in a staggering number of angles.
The Film Industry
The film industry has always been particularly inventive, so if anything technology has had trouble keeping up with film if you consider some of the facts. For instance, the sound of blasters from Star Wars was made by hitting the support cables of a radio tower. But now for a more modern example. Have you noticed recently in movies a higher number of large scale aerial shots? That’s a drone at work, what previously required a costly crane and thousands of dollars a day in shooting costs can be quickly and efficiently done with a single high quality drone.
The Service Industry
Restaurants have become increasingly aware of just how well technology can be used to simplify their processes, to the point where some are scared that jobs will be lost to increasing technology. Many restaurants now allow customers to order off an iPad or similar touchscreen device, completely eliminating the need for a server to relay orders to the cooking staff as well as reduce confusion and messed up orders. Increasingly easy payment solutions like POS systems compatible with smartphones have also enabled restaurants to settle payments much easier with less wait time for a debit machine should a customer need one.
Technology is advancing at breakneck speed and it is interesting to see how the different industries manage to stay on top. Some industries are using new technology to solve old problems and rise ahead, while others are struggling to constantly adapt the most current technology just to stay relevant. Either way, the future is both bright and tumultuous at the same time.
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