Technology is an incredibly broad umbrella, but in terms of stocks and shares, it encompasses the research, manufacture, and distribution sectors of the technology market. This sector offered the highest returns last year, but that’s not to say that every share you touch will be golden. The technology market is a turbulent one, sometimes you’ll earn well, other times shares might plummet. One thing that remains true throughout though, is that the technology sector is an exciting one to be investing in. These trends are some of the most pioneering of our times and look as though they’ll be promising for investors.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
It’s no secret that virtual reality is changing the world we live in, whether it’s being used to train up employees, enhance the gaming experience or provide relief from poor mental health; there are myriad applications for this fascinating technology. Augmented reality works in much the same way, though it creates layers over the world we already see. Applications such as map and location services, special forces training and of course gaming are all areas where this technology is beginning to come into its own.
Although virtual and augmented reality are areas of technology that have been around for a while, the space is ever evolving and many companies are still offering shares at a surprisingly low rate. This area of the market is one that is best entered in to relatively quickly, to avoid being left behind a curve that is already rapidly steepening.
Green IT
Green, eco and sustainable are all well-known buzzwords of the moment and for good reason. Consumers are generally being more considerate to the environment and choosing carefully which companies they place their money with. One area that is still young though is Green IT.
Green IT or green information technology, tries to design computing products in a more environmentally friendly way. Whether it’s maximizing energy efficiency, ensuring recyclability and biodegradability, or reducing the use of hazardous materials during manufacture, Green IT is a wave that is likely to continue to grow and therefore a good place to look at investing.
Software as a Service
Software as a service, or SaaS, is an unusual space in that there have been many different companies attempt it, but very few execute it well. Software as a service in its simplest form, is the ability for consumers to purchase a subscription or one time product, which is accessed exclusively via the internet. Companies such as Google Apps, Dropbox and MailChimp are all good examples of traditional SaaS businesses.
With the ever increasing presence of super-fast internet, SaaS business models are really beginning to come into their own. When the concept was originally thought of, the lack of readily available broadband was the only thing stopping the model reach its true potential, but now that is no longer a problem, this area of the market could really start to grow.
Self Driving Technology
Although self driving technology seems fairly self explanatory, there are actually various different levels of autonomy associated with this tech. In their truest form, self driving vehicles require absolutely no human interference and will drive themselves, using sensors and software, to the required destination. Currently there are no truly self driving vehicles on the market, there are however pushes for this to happen and also a surprising number of semi autonomous vehicles already available.
Many conventional car companies are waking up to the potential of autonomous vehicles and there are already plenty of cars that offer automatic braking and lane assistance. Parking sensors and fully autonomous parking are also becoming increasingly common in our cars, so it isn’t a huge leap to assume that fully automated vehicles could one day become commonplace. This area could be high risk in companies dealing exclusively with fully autonomous vehicles, but lower risk options that focus on individual areas of this technology could be good investments.
