How Technology Is Changing Due to the Coronavirus

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Technology is changing all the time, but the need is the mother of invention, which means things are changing at an ever-increasing pace thanks to the Coronavirus. With 114 countries reporting COVID-19 infections, it has become a global problem that is requiring global solutions.

As we all attempt to remain connected, we’re spending even more time on the internet, messaging apps, and video streaming services than ever before, which is prompting some serious technological changes. They include:

• Changes to digital communication, as it’s more important than ever
• Increased remote work and systems that support it
• Data harvesting that targets health and safety
• Crackdowns on hackers, viruses, and misinformation
• Updated 5G internet that can handle our increasing digital needs

Digital Communication Is More Important Than Ever

With the fear of COVID-19 spreading and hospitals being overwhelmed by patients they are struggling to treat, people are being asked to stay home and avoid social situations. That’s hard when we all have friends and loved ones we want to spend time with!

Fortunately, in today’s world, we aren’t stuck indoors without any connection whatsoever. We can use mobile communication apps to stay connected with the ones we love. Video calls are especially increasing in popularity. Zoom, a video conferencing app, was downloaded over 340,000 times in a single day. It has gone from a $9 billion business to be worth over $44 billion.

As digital communication continues to be important, you can expect to see some major upgrades to video calling software. For example, virtual reality is being tested with video calls, which will make them more personal than ever before.

More Remote Work and Apps That Support It

Remote work has been increasing over the last few years, but there’s nothing like a global pandemic and social distancing to encourage workplaces to adopt remote capabilities as their primary way of working.

There no reason—now that businesses have invested so much time, effort, and money— way remote work should go away anytime soon. Once companies see that it can work well for their employees, they are likely to continue doing it.

As more businesses are willing to work remotely, you can bet that there will be more apps that support it as the months and years unfold.

Data Harvesting Is Going to Keep Us Safer and Healthier

There are many applications for data harvesting. Much of the data that was being harvested and analyzed pre-Coronavirus was targeted towards marketing efforts. As people surf the web, data is collected on the websites they visit, the items they click on, where they are located, and more. That information can then be used to update ads, landing pages, and emails they receive.

Thanks to Coronavirus, data harvesting is focusing more on keeping us safer and healthier. For example, Google and Facebook have discussed sharing smartphone data with the government to help stop the spread of Coronavirus. Some countries have already implemented the use of apps that can track who you have come in contact with so you know if you have been exposed to the virus or not.

More Attention Spent on Hackers, Viruses, and Misinformation

With more people spending more time on the internet, hackers are having a field day. Data verification is becoming more and more important as more people online are making claims to be people they are not, leaving countless computers and networks susceptible to harmful and costly viruses.

Misinformation is a huge problem that has only been made worse by COVID-19. From political gain to attracting attention, many online are providing false information that looks like it’s the real deal. Social media, as well as other platforms, have really kicked their sanitization attempts into high gear to fight the spread of disinformation.

Updated Internet to Handle It All

With everyone spending more time online than ever before, our existing internet systems are really struggling. Fortunately, the next wave of the internet is on its way.

5G is the next generation of mobile broadband that will replace 4G. It has faster download and upload speeds, and the time it takes for devices to communicate with wireless networks will decrease. It will make using the internet faster, easier, and less frustrating, especially when so many of us are relying on our devices to communicate with friends and family.

Tech was always going to change, but thanks to COVID-19, it’s changing faster than ever. These changes will enable us to continue living our digital lives safely, even as we spend more time online.

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