The document predicts how communication technologies will evolve by 2024 through 3 key developments: 1. News, content and advertising will be highly personalized and customized across all electronic devices based on individual user data and predictive algorithms. 2. E-readers, smart surfaces and mobile devices will be ubiquitous and synced, acting as personal screens that recognize users and provide customized content and services anywhere. 3. Homes will have virtual assistants that intelligently manage appliances, schedules and tasks, acting as trusted family members to reduce household stress and burdens through automation.

1. COMM 303-50 Introduction to
Communication Technologies
Summer, 2014
Instructor: Dr. W. Brantley
“What will the communication technology
landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?
D. Gabbard
August, 2014

2. “What will the communication technology landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?”
1. News, content, and advertising becomes personalized, customized, and
synchronized across users’ electronic devices and technologies
2. E-Readers, smart surfaces, and mobile devices are everywhere and
essential
3. Our homes become “Intelligent,” managed by artificial/virtual/digital
stewards (man’s new best friend)

3. “What will the communication technology landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?”
1. News, content, and advertising becomes personalized,
customized, and synchronized across users’ electronic
devices and technologies

4. 1. News, content, and advertising becomes personalized, customized, and
synchronized across all users’ electronic devices and technologies
What is it? How is it used?
• We no longer sit through commercials or
news stories that we don’t care about or
do not feel are relevant to us.
• Broadcasters and marketers have so much
data about us that they can develop
predictive models about the type of
content to put in front of us. These
models are tested and highly accurate.
• We’re not scared or annoyed by this; we
actually embrace it by giving up personal
information so that we’re no longer
inundated with information that we feel
isn’t really meant for us.
• Media companies and marketers of all
sizes create custom messages for who is
consuming their content.
• While they spend more money to achieve
such high levels of targeted marketing,
marketers’ messages are so surgical and
relevant that consumer response rates are
higher than ever, leading to large
revenues and return on marketing
investment.
“What will the communication technology landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?”

5. 1. News, content, and advertising becomes personalized, customized, and
synchronized across all users’ electronic devices and technologies
How will it become widespread? Which theory supports this claim?
• As all communication is 100% digital, and
therefore traceable, companies will
clamor for this technology and the ability
to highly segment consumers and target
all marketing efforts.
• Consumers will be willing to trade their
personal, private information for less
“noise.”
• Consumers will also begin to see content
(television shows, movies, etc…) that is
tailored to their preferences.
• Niche programming becomes the
backbone of broadcasters’ production
efforts.
• Theory of the Long Tail
▫ Broadcasters now enjoy increased
revenue from the creation of highly-
targeted programming based on
consumer demographics and
preferences. While production costs are
higher due to the need for more niche
programming, the advertising revenues
are off the charts.
▫ Chris Anderson writes: “As the costs of
production and distribution fall, especially
online, there is now less need to lump products
and consumers into one-size-fits-all containers.”
(Longtail.com)
• Principle of Relative Constancy
▫ Consumers see the trade-off of personal
information as a win for them because
their content consumption experience is
far superior to what it once was.
“What will the communication technology landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?”

6. “What will the communication technology landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?”
2. E-Readers, smart surfaces, and mobile devices are
everywhere and essential

7. 2. E-Readers, smart surfaces, and mobile devices are everywhere and essential
What is it? How is it used?
• E-Readers, smart surfaces, and mobile
devices are pervasive and basically, now
the same thing.
• Thin, micro-computers with flat
displays/surfaces exist throughout our
homes, at work, and in public. Once we
step in front of them, that screen flickers
to life with content and functionality just
for us.
• They are synched together and constantly
updated with information essential to us;
our favorite television shows, our email
and texts, our calendars, our photos, etc.
• We’re no longer tied to one phone, tablet,
laptop, or desktop – these screens are
everywhere and “belong” to the person
standing in front of them for however
long that person stands there.
• We use these screens for entertainment,
work, getting a check-up from the doctor,
buying a car, etc.
“What will the communication technology landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?”

8. 2. E-Readers, smart surfaces, and mobile devices are everywhere and essential
How will it become widespread? Which theory supports this claim?
• Through ongoing innovation, it will
become incredibly cheap to create these
devices and federate them throughout
the world.
• Advertising will subsidize the remaining,
minimal cost
• As more and more young people place
their trust in these devices as well as the
brave few older people who “have
nothing to hide,” consumers will value not
having to purchase their own devices or
worry about synching their devices and
will eventually all join in.
• Critical Mass Theory
▫ Adoption rates will soar quickly with this
innovation. We’re already a society
addicted to our mobile devices. In ten year’s
time, we’ll do whatever we can to stay
connected. As we see no drawbacks from
this new technology, everyone will soon join
in.
• Theory of Relative Constancy
▫ Many people will no longer need to
purchase a mobile device. For those
consumers, this new situation provides
benefits far superior to their choices before.
▫ Grant writes, “What this means is that, if a
new media technology is introduced, in
order for adoption to happen, the new
technology has to be compelling enough for
the adopter to give up something else.”
“What will the communication technology landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?”

9. “What will the communication technology landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?”
3. Our homes become “Intelligent,” managed by
artificial/virtual/digital stewards (man’s new best friend)

10. 3. Our homes become “Intelligent,” managed by artificial/virtual/digital stewards (man’s new best
friend)
What is it? How is it used?
• In ten years’ time, we’ll look back on the
current idea of “smart homes” and laugh
because each home will now feature
appliances, electronics, and devices that
are all connected to each other and
managed by an artificial intelligence that
serves as a virtual steward for the
homeowner.
• This steward keeps the house maintained
by working independently with the lawn
service, maid service, etc… as well as
keeping tracking of all the personal
calendars of everyone in the home. Most
emails are filtered automatically and we
never have to worry about paying bills.
• Our jobs are stressful and we have limited
free time; we don’t want to spend that
time “working a second shift at home.”
• This steward studies our behavior and
adapts the home to that behavior; the
temperate is at our optimum comfort
level, the lights are brightened, dimmed
without command, the refrigerator sends
our grocery order to the nearest
supermarket while we don’t worry about
any of it.
• The virtual steward becomes a trusted,
valued member of the family.
“What will the communication technology landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?”

11. 3. Our homes become “Intelligent,” managed by artificial/virtual/digital stewards; (man’s new best
friend)
How will it become widespread? Which theory supports this claim?
• We’re already beginning to use individual,
“smart” devices in our homes (i.e., the
Nest thermostat, Phillips Hue light bulbs);
in the next ten years, this technology will
be very inexpensive to integrate into new
homes and backwards engineer into
existing homes.
• Uses and Gratifications Theory
▫ Home is supposed to be where we can
relax. We currently work long hours and are
involved in many activities. This type of
technology will become beloved because it
will take mundane work off our plates and
help us live with less stress at home.
• Critical Mass Theory
▫ Once this technology is adopted by those
with the disposable income and prices
continue to drop, we will reach the tipping
point quickly where people are
DEMANDING this experience in their home.
▫ Oliver, Marwell, and Teixeira write:
“Sometimes the critical mass provides some
level of the good for others who do nothing,
while at other times the critical mass pays
for the start-up costs and induces
widespread collective action.”
“What will the communication technology landscape look like in 2024 A.D.?”

12. References
Anderson, C. (n.d.). Retrieved August 6, 2014, from http://
www.longtail.com/about.html.
Grant, A., Meadows, J. (Eds). (2012). Communication Technology Update
and Fundamentals. Waltham, MA: Focal Press.
Oliver, P., Marwell, G., & Teixeira, R. (1985). A Theory of the Critical Mass. I.
Interdependence, Group Heterogeneity, and the Production of
Collective Action. American Journal of Sociology, 91(3), 522-556.