When change occurs over a long period of time, it can be difficult to detect. Often things can evolve so slowly that we don’t notice at all, at least until we make a concerted effort to look back on the way things used to be. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, but it can make us underappreciate just how good modern life, with all of its convenience, can be.
With this in mind, we want to look back at four of the most important ways that the world has been completely reshaped in the last few decades, focusing on the realm of online technology. Remember these changes, and at the very least it can become a lot easier to forgive modern inconveniences when they do occur.
Television and Movies
There are many households today which have completely abandoned traditional broadcast television, only to fully embrace what on-demand services have to offer. While you can’t exactly beat the cost of free TV, modern streaming systems like Hulu and Netflix are still vastly cheaper than most cable packages and come with far greater variety.
The advantages here aren’t just from what’s on offer either, also playing into this is how we can partake. Rather than being subject to traditional time-slots, we can now tailor our viewing habits to suit whatever openings appear in our schedules. With no missing out, and the ability to rewatch as often as we want, the benefits of the new age are undeniable.
This is similarly the case for films, where a great many now find themselves integrated with streaming services. Even rentals for major films are starting to appear closer and closer to their original theatre dates, with some on offer simultaneously over both mediums. Fans of the theatre experience shouldn’t have to worry however, as streaming is unlikely to do to the big screen what it did to businesses like Blockbuster.
“netflix tv” (CC BY 2.0) by stockcatalog
Video Games
As a form of entertainment always inherently reliant on digital technology, its perhaps no surprise that video games benefitted immensely from the development of the internet. Primarily, gaming developments have been found on two fronts, those of purchasing and those of gameplay.
In terms of purchasing, a great deal of the market has moved away from physical purchases and towards digital download marketplaces like Steam and the various official console stores online. In 2009, around 20% of total video game sales were digital, by 2018, this had risen to 83%, and this trend continues to this day. Digital games are often cheaper than physical games and come without the risk of disk breakage, making them a superior choice for many.
For the games themselves, many publishers and developers are now dropping single-player experiences in favor of online offerings. While this has resulted in some amazing breakout hits like PUBG and Overwatch, some fans decry this change as killing off the medium’s most important base.
Shopping and Services
On a grander scale, we have to note just how much has been added to the entire world of online shopping. Almost any goods or services a person could imagine are now available over the internet, and again at a far lower cost than what might be available in physical locations.
Rather than having to take a day driving around to a range of different stores and then still possibly not finding what you want, shoppers today can get everything they need right from a smartphone. A big part of this comes from companion and comparison websites which further streamline the process.
For example, people looking for a new home could simply turn to mortgage advice from Trussle instead of leaving their homes to see a mortgage advisor. Not only does this website let unfamiliar homeowners understand the complexities of the market, but it also even helps them compare different plans. With the ability to compare 90 different lenders and 12,000 different deals, this and similar services in other industries have completely reshaped the way we approach spending.
Communication
Finally, there is the ever-important aspect of communication growth. Today, the vast majority of both business and personal correspondence is performed via online avenues, owing to enormously improved convenience and speed. Emails form the backbone of this new world, but additional credit also has to go to the now unavoidable landscape of social media.
Just as the house phone was usurped by the mobile, it is increasingly common today to see people leaving older connections in favor of internet data-driven solutions. This is perhaps unsurprising, as not only can newer systems manage calls and texts just as traditional methods could, but they can also allow newer expanded opportunities such as video calls and easier group chats.
“spam gmail” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by notoriousxl
Looking at all of these changes, we need to remember that none of them are yet to reach whatever natural ending points might appear. Compared to older methods, many new online aspects of our personal and business lives are still in their relative infancy, with untold untapped potential still awaiting discovery. While we can’t predict exactly what form these four avenues will take in the coming years, make no mistake, they will only get bigger, better, and more helpful for the end-user.