What happens when Jimmy Choo meets Google? You get stylish footwear that can count your steps on the smartphone. Today luxe means buying a product that is high on both tech and quality. Take for instance the Best Global Brands report that is dominated by luxury labels. For six consecutive years, Apple has held one of the top positions. Who did it beat to get up there? The likes of Hennessy, Bvlgari and Chanel. Last year online luxury retailer Farfetch announced a partnership with Gucci to launch “The Store of the Future”, where consumers can use smartphones at their stores for personalised recommendations from the retail staff. High-end stores have also introduced augmented reality such as smart mirrors and this allows the well-heeled consumer to interact with the product and seek information such as price or its origin. Amazon has introduced cashless automated showrooms in the US, where you just go in and purchase what you need and check out with your mobile, no cashier needed. What will 2019 have in store? Here’s what we are looking forward to in the coming year.
Foldable Smartphones
No, we are not talking about a flip phone like the Moto RAZR, but these are actual smartphones that can bend (even the touchscreen). Samsung has already showcased one such model recently and companies like LG and Huawei are going to showcase their for extreme performance and will carry a hefty price tag. Keep an eye out during the months of February and March for these extravagant folding beauties to become mainstream. Rumour has it that these phones will be more expensive than the current iPhone line-up and can cost anywhere between Rs 1-1.5 lakh (per device).
Dual Screen Laptops
We have been hearing about these machines for some time now and finally they will come out of the factories and on to the consumer’s table. These laptops will come in two variations, one with a split screen in front and the other with a second screen on the lid. Since these notebooks will also get the best performing chipsets, CPUs and graphics unit inside, get ready to shell out a lot if you want to purchase them. These next generation of laptops are most likely to cost over `3.5 lakh.
Drone Delivery
The government has finally made drones legal in India and has released a set of rules one has to follow to use them. Seems like everything is on track and we shall see Amazon and Flipkart seizing the opportunity to start drone delivery in the metros and large towns. Users will be able to get direct delivery via drones for which we are guessing the regular Prime membership will not be enough. Users will get their packages in lesser time and directly at their doorsteps. The delivery system in all likelihood is for expensive gadgets and can go up to Rs 7,500 per delivery, depending upon how soon you want your costly gadget.
Super Smart Clothing
Companies such Gucci, D&G and Google are already working on smart wearables for your everyday use. These include jackets that can detect if you have accidently left your smartphone behind and trousers which will buzz you if you forget your car keys at home.
The electronic clothing line is set to become smarter with manufacturers working on shirts and jackets that will enable the wearer to control things at home using gestures or voice commands. Imagine sitting in front of your tele screen with just a finger pointing at it. You could now change channels, increase or decrease the volume or even browse Netflix shows. Neat, isn’t it? The next generation of these smart clothing lines will cost anywhere between Rs 30,000 to Rs 75,000.
By Sulabh Puri
The author is a technology geek who runs www.gadgetbridge.com