10 Tools And Technologies That We Saw The Last Of, In 2020

Today, we are in a fast-paced world with rapidly growing technology. It is an era where an innovative idea can either become insanely popular or quickly fade into oblivion.

Thus, every year we say goodbye to those tools and technologies that failed to make their mark.

2020 too saw the last of some technologies that have been around for decades.

Let us check out those technologies which became obsolete in 2020.

Obsolete Technologies of 2020

1. Remote control

A remote control device used to accompany every TV for decades.

However, we now have mobile phones that have built-in applications for remote control.

The smartphone has single-handedly pushed several devices into the pages of history.

With mobile applications to control a wide range of appliances from television, air conditioner to projectors, the coming years may no more see a separate remote control device.

Moreover, technological innovations have given birth to devices that can respond to voice commands.

Thus, the concept of having a device with physical buttons may no longer exist.

2. Smartphones with Windows OS

Given the fact that iOS and Android have an unshakable stronghold over the smartphone market, the Windows phone failed to impress the customers.

Microsoft discontinued introducing new features for the phone.

Also, they released an announcement requesting users to switch over to iOS or Android phones.

Thus, Windows phones are now officially obsolete.

3. Overhead Projectors

The overhead projector is also known as the classroom projector for it used to be a classic device found in a typical classroom.

Due to the kind of screen used for projection, the audience would not be able to clearly see the content being projected.

Fuzzy displays were something people had to tolerate while using the overhead projector.

The 2010s saw the development of wall-size display devices by the big companies in the domain.

As we inch towards 4K display devices that are available at affordable prices, the use of overhead projectors has seen a sharp decline.

Thus, it is a technology that we are leaving behind as we walk into a new year.

4. CDs and DVDs

The primary use of secondary storage devices such as CDs and DVDs was to store music videos and movies.

The way we access these sources of entertainment has undergone a sea change.

With the introduction of on-demand streaming services at affordable prices, there is no need to store music videos or movies in CDs.

Some popular streaming services even allow their users to download their favorite shows so that they can watch those videos offline.

As we dust off the empty CD drives from our devices, we realize that CDs have already become a thing of the past.

2021 will have no DVD players or CDs – just the streaming services that we love to binge-watch our favorite shows from!

5. Wired earphones

From gaming controllers, to the mouse, to earphones – a host of devices have gone wireless.

With the introduction of Apple’s airpods and the already popular Bluetooth earphones, wired earphones are soon fading in popularity.

With airpods and bluetooth earphones at pocket-friendly prices, users can now heave a sigh of relief that they no longer have to lose their patience trying to untangle their earphones!

6. Windows 7

The year 2020 began with an announcement from Microsoft that it has ended support for Windows 7.

With the discontinuation of all technical support, software updates, and security updates, users who had still not shifted to the latest version of the OS were left with no choice.

It is common for companies to discontinue their services for versions of their operating system as they become old.

Thus, the year saw all Windows users shift to the Windows 10 version.

7. Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer used to be the default browser on Windows devices.

Microsoft announced that it had been planning for years to kill support for the once-popular web browser.

Microsoft has been pushing Windows users to move to its new browser – the chromium-based Edge.

Until Microsoft stops the support for the browser in mid-2021, companies can use the legacy version for websites that were specifically built to function on the IE browser.

8. Standalone Mp3 player

The invention of the iPod in the early 2000s revolutionized the way people accessed music.

Mp3 players were tiny and portable. Yet, they were powerful devices. Mp3 players were the rage back then.

However, it sadly happens to be yet another device that slowly vanished due to the smartphone.

Today’s smartphones have smart music applications that can create personalized playlists for each user based on their listening history.

As things became much easier due to mobile applications, mp3 players quickly took a backseat.

As we step into 2021, popular tech-giants may still have standalone music players – but will they be a popular choice among music lovers? A resounding no!

Technology that is expected to become Obsolete Soon

Most of the countries belonging to the developed world invest billions in technology-related research and development.

The result is rapid growth wherein new technology and devices keep popping up from various research hubs in the world.

Thus, here are two devices that we would soon bid goodbye to, according to tech scientists.

1. Digital Camera

Every new smartphone in the market today comes with a better camera than the previous ones.

With the features and clarity that today’s smartphone cameras provide, it would not be a surprise if the sales of digital cameras took a hit.

2. Electrical Switches

We are already living in a world where IoT-enabled smart devices control the heating and lighting systems of houses.

With devices that can understand voice commands, we may completely do away with switches to control the household electrical appliances.

Summary

The tech world is a fast-moving one. Those who swim along the tide of change get to experience the best of technology.

Those who are resistant to change will reach a point where they have no choice but to bid farewell to old devices and technology.

We have seen numerous examples such as Windows 7, Windows phone, and so on, where the last ones to shift to a more popular choice were those who did it out of compulsion!