We looked at IBM’s latest prediction of five innovations for the next five years (out to the end of 2017) It is important when looking forward to look back. Five years is a short time where innovation and developments are mostly linear. So we can look back in five year increments to get a sense of the change we might expect for the next five years.
What were the most important innovations of the prior five years ? Since 2007 ?
Horizontal multiple fracture drilling has changed the oil and gas industry. Natural gas production has been greatly increased and global politics has been impacted.
The iPhone was introduced to the United States in June 29, 2007.
The total number of iOS devices (iPhones, iPod Touches, iPads) sold to date is over 400 million. They have popularized touch devices. Over 500 million Android devices have been sold.
cloud Computing became popularized over the last five years. Amazon initiated a new product development effort to provide cloud computing to external customers, and launched Amazon Web Service (AWS) on a utility computing basis in 2006.
In early 2008, Eucalyptus became the first open-source, AWS API-compatible platform for deploying private clouds. In early 2008, OpenNebula, enhanced in the RESERVOIR European Commission-funded project, became the first open-source software for deploying private and hybrid clouds, and for the federation of clouds
Social Media became big over the last five years. Although Facebook launched in 2004.
Factory mass produced skyscrapers were introduced by the Broad Group of China. Over 20 buildings have been made this way.
Other developments of the last five years
There There has been significant progress to the UN development goals.
There was the global recession.
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Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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