Predicting The Future Of TV Technology

Technological advances always follow progressions, but it is still hard to predict where it will go in the future. Television and viewing technology is no different, so without the use of a crystal ball, here are some features which will become standard in the future (although we’ll have to wait and see!).

Gesture Based Remotes
Staring at the television may be fairly normal, but soon they will be able to pick up on your smallest eye movements to browse through programme guides or change settings. Waving your arms around to control things – mostly gaming – has been around for a while, so this was an inevitable progression. Whether it will take off is another thing though; surely pressing buttons with a finger is easier than waving your arms around. We’ll have to wait and see what the results are like if your pet walks in front of the TV and changes channel or messes with the volume, but hopefully the development teams will find ways to discern between intentional and unintentional movements.

Smart TV
Even cheap LCD TVs can have smart TV functions now. From ‘full’ smart TV features such as wireless internet access and programs built in for BBC iPlayer, 4OD etc to wired access to stream video, the term smart TV can encompass different aspects of a TVs function. Deciding exactly what you want or need and then shopping around this idea rather than the other way round is probably the best way to decide what is best for you.

3D TV
Programming and movies broadcast in 3D have received mixed responses, from thinking it is the next big thing to a headache factory. The market is steadily growing though, so expect to hear more about it in the coming years. Many new sets have the capacity to display 3D, so even if you are unsure, you can get the 3D capability and then use it when it is more mainstream. One of the problems with its popularity (or lack of) may be because of the life spans of TV sets. If the majority of people got a brand new HDTV less than 5 years ago, they probably don’t want to get another new TV just for 3D, as it can be a big purchase.