Dr. Mok comments on the trends of 2015: The Internet of Things is still a mess

According to foreign media The Verge, Dr. Mo, a venomous technology critic, has spoken out. This time, he commented on all the trends in 2015... He said:

Technology journalists, enthusiasts, and investors are eagerly awaiting the next big thing, the compelling device, app, or service that will change the world. Maybe the next Google search, or the iPhone, Kindle, or Facebook. But 2015 may be the year that those expectations are dashed.

There is no lack of experimentation. Companies big and small in the tech world are constantly launching new products, some of which are hits, some of which fail. But no product is truly life-changing, and at the same time, some vital underlying technologies are showing signs of stagnation or worse.

Here are the trends Dr. Mok sees emerging in 2015:

Smartphones seem to be maturing

The smartphone is now the most important computing device in people's lives. In 2015, it seems that this product has not brought many surprises to consumers in terms of new features. However, this does not mean that it is dead - it is impossible, and there are still many cool new products brewing in laboratories in Mountain View, Seoul, Shenzhen and other places. However, it is true that Apple, Samsung, or Google's Nexus series have not achieved great innovation. All devices are good and outstanding in many aspects, but there are not many new features.

Perhaps the most disappointing of all its iterations has been Apple's 3D Touch.

Laptops still struggle

Microsoft and its hardware partners are still struggling to reverse the decline in Windows laptop sales. To this end, Microsoft, which has never been involved in hardware before, designed and produced it itself and launched the Surface Book, a laptop and tablet in one, this fall.

But it didn't have much of an effect. Market research firm Gartner reported that PC sales fell 7.7% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2015. Laptops are still important tools, but consumers are not necessarily going to buy new laptops just because they have a laptop-tablet hybrid design. Even Apple's new MacBook, which only offers a standard USB port this year, has not aroused much enthusiasm among consumers. The new MacBook has poor performance, is too expensive, and has a keyboard that is not easy to get used to. Therefore, I think the small counter-trend growth in Apple's Mac sales reported by the report is largely driven by the old MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

Microsoft Returns

After failing to capture the smartphone revolution in 2007 and launching a bug-riddled Windows operating system, Microsoft finally got its act together in 2015. This year, Microsoft released a much-improved Windows 10 operating system; it received more sales and praise for its revamped Surface Pro tablet; and, of course, it introduced its first laptop.

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Perhaps more importantly, Microsoft has this year pursued a new strategy of offering more and better software and online services for rival mobile operating systems and cloud platforms, largely to make up for the lack of a popular mobile platform of its own, regardless of the device or service you use.

The revolution has not yet succeeded, and Microsoft still needs to work hard, especially in the field of smartphones. Regardless, the new CEO Nadella seems to have a clearer plan for Microsoft's future, and the company's execution is enough to make it win back in the next competition.

Apple's new products are not "shocking"

The most eye-catching product of Apple this year is Apple Watch, which is the first new product line launched by Apple since Jobs passed away in 2011. However, eight months later, few people are talking about it anymore. App developers are not interested in developing apps for Apple Watch. At least for me, Apple Watch can only display text and track health. The entire product line is still in a state of "survival" in 2015.

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Although Apple has not yet released sales data for the Apple Watch, this does not mean that the sales of the product are bleak. Given the quality of the Apple Watch, the number of applications, and the brand effect of Apple, it would not be surprising if it became the world's best-selling smartwatch. However, the market for smartwatches is still very small.

The Internet of Things is still a mess

Even in 2014, major companies have launched a variety of devices and applications to control users' lights, thermostats, and even door locks and other home appliances, some of which are bundled together. But for ordinary consumers, these things are too complicated and confusing. Although Apple, Google and other major companies have tried to introduce some management systems to inject some rules and order into the Internet of Things, IoT manufacturers have all dismissed them.

Artificial intelligence is getting better

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All the major platforms now have voice control, and they got even smarter in 2015. After four years of development, Apple's Siri has become relatively reliable and useful. So has Google Now. Amazon has also joined the game with Alexa, and Microsoft has Cortana. Looking back at these features ten years from now, we may think they are crude now, but compared to Siri in 2011, the level of today is already unforgettable.

In addition, there is another thing worth remembering in 2015 - Elon Musk founded a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping artificial intelligence open source and protecting the technology from going down dangerous divergences.

The foundation for the future has been laid

In 2015, four technologies made significant advances even though they’re not yet mainstream.

The first is virtual and augmented reality - Oculus, Samsung, and HTC are all preparing to release their own VR/AR devices. In 2015, even old institutions like The New York Times used emerging technologies to change traditions by sending virtual reality glasses to users.

The second is mobile wireless payment, which will eventually replace credit cards. Apple has Apple Pay, and Google has a similar Android Pay. What is puzzling is that Samsung, the world's largest Android smartphone manufacturer, uses its own system to launch Samsung Pay. Although they are still only a small range of users, given the impressive performance in 2015, it will continue to develop.

The third is driverless car technology. Google has been pioneering in this field for several years and is a well-deserved leader in the industry. In addition, Apple is rumored to be developing this technology, as well as a large number of traditional car manufacturers. Admittedly, this technology is still many years away from being popular, but it has really made great progress this year.

***The first one is drones. Drones have not been developed for a long time. Like driverless car technology, they are not yet popular and are hard to see on the market. But what is certain is that their influence is growing, and their applications in many areas are becoming popular. Even the government feels that they must be regulated. Last month, Amazon tested a prototype drone for package delivery.

2015 was not an exciting year, but the seeds planted in this year are enough to make people full of expectations. There will be many great things happening in the near future.