Just think: 10 years ago, Yahoo and Alta Vista ruled the web search realm, but now no one even remembers Alta Vista, and “Google” has turned into a verb. How many futurists predicted that shift? One interesting trend is that of devices becoming simpler in that they are only purchased for 1 or 2 purposes. Some futurists predict a huge market for those types of devices in the coming years. Already, the iPod has proven to be correct on that point, and even some cell phones companies are producing ‘simpler’ models.
Another major prediction is that of a gradual move away from gasoline-powered internal combustion engines to alternate fuels. The World Future Society estimates that there are only 40 years of oil left to be extracted. Along similar lines, renewable energy sources such as wind power, will also grow in the coming years.