What is in danger of becoming obsolete?

Not many things in this world move as fast as technology. Not even Usain Bolt! But with technology moving at the speed of light, what’s in danger of being left behind?

We’ve already considered some of the tech items that have become obsolete, but it’s not just tech! Here are some of the everyday items and devices that could become a thing of the past.


Calculators

We can’t all be blessed with the mental maths gifts that Rachel Riley has. Complicated equations require a compact little device to help you find the answer, which was a schoolbag staple. Calculators still have their worth, and always will no doubt ”“ but now, they come built into tech devices as standard. As the next generations become more accustomed to this, will there be any need for a physical calculator that only serves one purpose?


Alarm clocks

Just like calculators, alarm clocks do only one thing ”“ ring really loudly at a specific time to make sure you get up and go. The human race won’t stop needing this either, unless you’ve timed your body clock to perfection, but again we can just use our phones or any other devices for this service. The era of the alarm clock may dwindle, or it may hang on for dear life in a bid to curb overuse of our tech devices. Having a separate alarm clock deters you from checking your phone the moment you wake up.


Charging cables

Or maybe anything with a cable that hooks up to a device, like headphones. Flagship devices focus on wireless charging as a major selling point, and headphones jacks have become obsolete too. It won’t be particularly surprising if, in a few years, tech companies do away with all the wires we’ve become used to, for less cluttered packaging and way of working.


Remote controls

Losing a remote control is up there with some of the most inconvenient, first world problems that can occur. No one wants to be stuck on the same channel when there’s a whole wealth of choice out there! It’s suggested that in the future, we won’t use remote controls at all. Instead, we’ll flick through channels and choose shows using voice assistants like Siri, Alexa or Bixby. With different devices in the home at use voice assistants, this may be a closer reality than we think.


Phones with buttons

We’re more of less on the cusp of this one. At least when it comes to flagships anyway! In 2017, Apple finally let go of their home button with the introduction of the iPhone X which sets the tone for the future of Apple devices. Samsung’s Galaxy S8 also dropped a physical button on the screen in early 2017, and the general consensus across the board seems to be using as much screen space as possible. Next to go ”“ bezels.


Fax machines

Maybe you think they already are obsolete, but some businesses are still using the trusty fax machine for documents. It’s still clinging on for a number of reasons ”“ it stands out against the mountains of emails we receive every day, its good to have a non-web-based option for your customer and the legal system has a preference of using fax. It probably won’t be that way forever, as technology shifts and the next generation impose more time-saving methods.


Games consoles

Streaming has become the norm for listening to music and watching movies, so ultimately the gaming industry was next. There are plenty of games out there with the functionality to play online with others so it’s not a completely alien concept. But having a bulky console that hooks up to your TV might be a more antiquated idea as gaming goes into the cloud.


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