IT world trends: what to watch in 2022

The last two years have shown how quickly humanity can adapt to change through technology. For example, in March 2020, the price of shares of the Zoom service increased by more than 30% in just a week, simply because many people began to work from home. In addition, there are also those IT areas that were actively developing before the pandemic and are now not going to give up their positions. For example, blockchain or Internet of things. In this text, we will go through those areas that will definitely be in trend in 2022. Even if you are not going to work with them, it will definitely be useful to know about them.

NFT boom

A non-fungible token (NFT) is a digital object: computer code and data that conveys ownership of something. Property can be online: for example, virtual real estate in the digital world or special equipment in a video game. It could be real real estate: a house, a painting, or a place at a concert. A baseball card, Ronaldo's first ball, a vintage car: they're all one-of-a-kind and can be transferred as NFTs. In 2022, we will see NFTs everywhere. While some are still figuring out how NFT works, others are making money from it. This is indicated by an increase in trading volume on one of the largest NFT marketplaces, OpenSea. In mid-January, the platform’s trading volume reached a new historical maximum, exceeding 3.5 billion.

Blockchain popularity is growing

Blockchain, an innovative form of distributed ledger, allows companies to track transactions and do business with untrusted parties—even without the help of financial institutions. Blockchain has become widespread and continues to change the world in many industries, from gaming to management to finance. Companies spent nearly $6.6 billion on blockchain solutions in 2021, up 50% from the previous year, according to International Data Corporation. This figure is expected to exceed $15 billion in 2024. Statista reports that global blockchain technology is projected to grow to more than $23.3 billion by 2023. An example of a blockchain deployment is a Walmart supermarket supply chain database application that allows individual products to be tracked directly to their supplier.

High Performance Computing

Given the recent growth in big data-based research and analysis, the use of high-performance, i.e., quantum computing will increase dramatically in 2022. Massive developments in the field of quantum computing are being made by Google, IBM, Microsoft, Amazon and Alibaba. In May 2021, Google said it aims to create a commercial quantum computer by 2029 that can accurately perform complex calculations in tiny fractions of a second. And just recently, a quantum computer with over 5 thousand qubits, operating on the principle of quantum annealing , was put into operation in Germany. This is the first device of this caliber to be released outside of North America and the first Advantage Quantum Annealer outside of Canada. It can be used to solve complex industrial problems. This includes managing traffic flows and training neural networks. “Quantum computers have the potential to change our lives for the better – from making better use of the energy grid to optimizing investment strategies in the financial market or creating effective medical treatments,” commented Germany’s Federal Research Minister Bettina Start-Watzinger.

Expanding the use of 5G-6G

As remote work becomes commonplace, internet reliability becomes incredibly important. According to the Cisco Visual Networking Index , four years ago it was predicted that by 2022 there would be 1.4 billion more people using the Internet than in 2017, when there were 3.4 billion users. China began research into 6G back in 2018. Towards the end of 2020, the country launched a satellite to test terahertz signal transmission. Huawei and ZTE were involved. The US also began 6G research in 2018 when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened high-frequency spectrum for experimental use. The Next G Alliance was created in 2020 and includes companies such as Apple, AT&T and Google. At the same time, Elon Musk's SpaceX hopes to receive commercial approval no later than January 31, 2022 to launch Starlink satellite broadband in India next year, which will bring fast internet to rural areas.

Metaverses

The Metaverse is a digital reality that combines social media, online gaming, augmented reality, virtual reality and cryptocurrencies to provide a virtual user experience. Facebook renamed itself Meta and introduced Metaverse. In Metaverse, users can experience a digital reality through the eyes of their avatars that is as interactive and engaging as the physical one, using the technology capabilities of virtual and augmented reality. Microsoft did not stand aside. She announced a similar project Mesh , which, however, concerns strictly the sphere of the virtual office.

The robotics sector will grow

Today, robotics is actively used in many countries around the world. It is used in healthcare, agriculture, automotive, warehousing and supply chain management. The Covid-19 pandemic is creating both challenges and opportunities for robotics companies in the logistics industry. Unexpected stress on supply chains and product shortages have highlighted the need to improve supply chain efficiency. It has also become clear that robots and automation are allowing companies to continue operating and employees to maintain social isolation. Using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) helps automate repetitive activities. They are used to free employees from boring, repetitive tasks. Finally, we are seeing the rise of nanorobots, tiny sensors with limited processing power. The first useful applications of these nanomachines may be in nanomedicine. Some nanomachines, for example, are used to identify and destroy cancer cells . This is our list of technologies and trends that will be relevant in 2022. What do you think will be relevant in the near future? We are waiting for answers in the comments ;)