A Glimpse into the Future: What 2024 Has in Store for Us

Looking back at 2023, we saw mixed results in our forecasts. Our accurate prediction of the AI surge stands out. This year, AI significantly advanced, integrating into many life aspects and exceeding expectations, though not without considerable marketing buzz. As we foresaw, AI-generated text and images became increasingly sophisticated.

In the realm of smartphones, our foresight regarding the mid-range sector was spot on. The trend of enhancing mid-range smartphones continued robustly. Devices like the Google Pixel 7a (review), Galaxy A54 (review), and the Nothing Phone 2 (review) proved that quality screens, performance, and camera experiences need not break the bank.

However, not all predictions unfolded as expected. The Matter standard, despite the enthusiasm and backing from major smart home manufacturers, didn't reach the pinnacle we had imagined. Similarly, in the VR/AR industry, while there were exciting developments like the Meta Quest 3 (review), the much-anticipated Apple Vision Pro has yet to hit the market. Its potential impact remains to be seen.

As for health tech advancements, the progress was evident but more gradual than we had hoped. The overall pace of the health tech industry was slower than anticipated. Blood pressure monitoring in smartwatches, a feature heavily betted on, is still evolving and hasn't become as mainstream as expected.

As we turn our gaze to 2024, the nextpit team is ready with a new set of predictions. What 2024 has in store for us?

#1. Rise of AI-generated content and AI integration

Synthetic content is already among us, whether we like it or not. Therefore, we anticipate an escalating use of AI in content creation across various media. This echoes the sentiments of my colleague, Antoine Engels, who points out, 'Tech content is already quite similar across all platforms, especially in product reviews. It's going to be increasingly difficult for users to find legitimate, original, and honest advice.'

Additionally, we expect AI to become more integrated into areas like chip technology and software development. Our hardware expert, Benjamin Lucks (a.k.a. Ben), sees an increasing connection between chips and AI. He notes that Intel's new Core Ultra processors are not only catching up with Apple's Silicon chips but are also heavily focused on AI, leading the industry trend. He predicts that machine learning will be more deeply embedded in future operating systems.

For Jade Bryan, our junior editor, in 2024 Google is set to excel in embedding generative AI into its products. Meanwhile, Samsung may introduce groundbreaking features in the Galaxy S24 series and the anticipated Galaxy AI. I agree with this view, predicting that Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models (LLMs), like ChatGPT-5 and Google Gemini, will be prominent in tech discussions.

Finally, regarding AI's impact on photography, our content director, Stefan Moellenhoff, believes 2024 will be pivotal in changing our understanding of photographs. Today's images, often composites enhanced by algorithms, will increasingly challenge our perceptions of reality, especially with the advancement of generative AI.

#2. Software as 'The' service

Although Android 14 and iOS 17 may not serve as the best examples for the second topic on our list, some of us believe that software will become more central in technology by 2024. We may still be using phones and notebooks, but, in Ben's opinion, the real innovations are now happening in software.

The idea of software as the pinnacle of tech in 2024 was also echoed by Antoine. He hopes we can move past our fear of missing out and focus less on hardware specifications. Instead, he suggests shining a light on software longevity, with additional emphasis on repairability and customer support.

Pending on the same topic, my fellow editor Rubens Eishima also expects improved security update support from tech companies in general in 2024.

#3. Breakthroughs and challenges in health tech

I'm finishing 2023 full of expectations over health tech. Personally, I hope to witness breakthroughs in the health tech industry, enabled by Artificial Intelligence.

The advancements in AI, exemplified by DeepMind's GNoME tool discovering 2.2 million new crystals, including 380,000 stable materials potentially powering future technologies, indeed open up exciting prospects in health tech. AI's potential in this field is vast and multifaceted, including drug discovery, personalized medicine, early disease detection, and enhancing medical imaging.

And I'm not the only member of the nextpit team expecting these improvements in 2024. My colleague Carsten Drees—or simply 'Casi'—believes that thanks to AI, we will make significant strides in curing cancer. As someone who has lost many loved ones to cancer, I am eager to see his prediction come true.

Stefan predicts that in 2024, we'll see the first wearables capable of tracking blood sugar levels hit the market. At last, there will be a solution for managing the data our wearables collect. Every major manufacturer is expected to launch an AI coach for personalized nutrition advice, training plans, and more.

#4. Innovations and trends in consumer electronics

This fourth topic encompasses a variety of developments, and I'd like to begin with portable and cloud gaming. We have some gaming enthusiasts among us, and what we call 'nomad gaming' has emerged on our list of expectations. Following the successful gaming experience with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, my colleague Antoine Engels believes that the gaming sector is on an upward trend.

For 2024, our deals editor Dustin Porth is excited about a big gaming trend. We're expecting news on new consoles from Microsoft and Sony, which will be a big deal for console gaming. Since E3 ended, Gamescom in Cologne is now the top gaming fair in his opinion. But, will Cologne manage the extra crowds, or will the event go digital? Let's wait and see.

As an enthusiastic gamer, I'm seriously considering buying an Apple Vision Pro in 2024. One of the main reasons is the gaming experience, which I deeply loved on the Meta Quest Pro (review) goggles. Although I suspect this device might not be delivered on schedule, it promises to bring a fresh perspective to the concept of the Metaverse, and I have a hunch that it will enhance the nomadic gaming scenario.

Regarding phones, my colleague Edwin Kee thinks that more people will buy cheaper foldable phones. He believes that because of money related issues, people will choose mid-range or basic models instead of expensive ones. These phones are good enough and last long, like three years because they get regular software updates from the makers. So, we'll see more people picking these over the costly ones.

Finally, regarding the trend of larger OLED panels in tablets and notebooks, Rubens expects Apple to adopt bigger diagonal OLED panels in their tablets and notebooks. This move will likely encourage other companies to follow suit. Furthermore, as an eternal dreamer, he believes that 2024 will finally be the year for rollable phones.

#5. Developments in technology and sustainability

At the end of 2022, Europe's energy crisis had a significant impact on us at nextpit. This led us to change our approach, especially regarding renewable energy content. You might have noticed more reviews of power stations and a focus on sustainable coverage.

This shift was also influenced by industry trends. For example, Apple launched its Apple Watch 9 Series, which is the company's first carbon-neutral wearable. Also, major tech events like IFA in Germany devoted a significant section to sustainability.

• Is Apple Really a Role Model for Eco-friendliness?
• Why less is more: The minimalist tech with maximal impact

Looking ahead to 2024, many of us here believe there will be an increase in the use of renewable energy. We also expect to see a trend towards energy independence and more sustainability practices within the tech industry.

Casi and Dustin are aligned in their outlook for 2024, focusing on environmental sustainability and economic independence. They see the continued success of balcony power plants and the rise of flexible electricity tariffs as key trends. Casi emphasizes that this year will highlight the importance of 'sustainability' and 'circular economy' in the tech industry. He notes that companies must go beyond just appearing eco-friendly; they need to authentically adopt sustainable practices to stay competitive.

Meanwhile, Dustin points to the escalating global tensions leading to greater challenges, driving a desire among people to become more self-sufficient to evade high costs. This shared vision underscores a growing recognition of the need for sustainable living and economic resilience in the face of global uncertainties.

Still regarding sustainability, Stefan is confident that Matter will become the go-to standard for smart homes, especially with its new focus on energy consumption and saving. He also highlights a growing trend towards sustainability in technology, ranging from CO2-neutral products to longer software support.

What 2024 has in store for us?

This is my third year compiling our team's expectations for the upcoming year. I always strive to be precise in capturing everyone's predictions, trends, and even their gut feelings about what lies ahead.

My aim isn't just to fill the article with content; rather, I'm genuinely fascinated by the diversity of perspectives within our team. We come from varied cultural backgrounds, which enriches our insights. Rubens and I hail from Brazil, Edwin is from Malaysia, and Jade from the Philippines. Antoine brings his French perspective, while Florian represents the Republic of Congo. Ben, Casi, Dustin, and Stefan are from Germany. It's intriguing to see how these different backgrounds shape our team's unique and sometimes shared views of the world.

As we can see, our team is optimistic about significant changes coming to the industry in 2024. While you'll read that many of these will involve AI, rest assured, we will also be here to cover the potential downsides and negative aspects.

So now, I'd like to hear your views on the future and what you expect to see featured on nextpit's pages in 2024. Please share your ideas with us in the comments below and enrich this conversation with your perspectives as well.

We all wish you a fantastic 2024! Enjoy the future, fellow humans!