10 Tech Trends Transforming Consumer Behavior

As digital transformation continues to take root, businesses must expand and deepen their relationships with consumers to better understand their wants, needs, and aspirations, IDC concluded in its recent Future Consumer report.

A lot of that will have to do with technology, both on the front and back ends, the research firm said further.

"Technology is causing massive shifts in the way consumers live their lives, and technology companies, from hardware vendors to software developers to service and infrastructure providers, must think hard about how these shifts will impact their future offerings," said Tom Mainelli, group vice president of devices and consumer research at IDC, in the report. "IDC believes that organizations must redefine their mission to be more relevant to the individual to drive toward that successful future. This new approach requires rethinking company operating models and cross-industry business models with an eye toward better understanding and enabling cooperation and collaboration with adjacent companies and industries."

Toward that end, IDC has identified 10 tech trends—plus a bonus 11^th—that it says are driving the transformation of consumer behavior and markets:

1. New Pricing and Business Models That Support Subscriptions, Bundling, and Loyalty:Consumers are moving toward on-demand, subscription-based consumption of media and services.
2. On Body Ecosystems – Phone + Wrist/Hand + Ears:Gradually, more people will use multiple devices that work as integrated ecosystems.
3. Wireless & Broadband Connectivity – 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, WANs, and more:Digital connectivity will become more reliable, responsive, and seamless, enabling more engaging and immersive experiences.
4. Augmented and Virtual Reality: Over the next five years, vendors will crack the code on augmented audio and improve AR for phones, smart glasses, and VR goggles.
5. A Growing Range of Digital Productivity Devices:Many people start with a smartphone – and many will grow into using an integrated digital service platform across their PC, tablet, smart speaker, and virtual desktop service.
6. Consumers Are Blending Work & Personal Devices, Services, and Places:The pandemic accelerated the consumerization trend, as work from home and touchless workflow drove greater use of personal technologies for work.
7. Smart Connected Products – Body, Home, Transportation, IoT:IoT technology is enabling a wide range of smart, connected products that upgrade or transform many experiences, especially for well-being.
8. Personal Digital/Cloud Services for Life, Security, and Privacy:Solutions will help consumers manage an unruly, messy combination of personal services and experiences by improving password management, financial monitoring, and security services.
9. Digital Media, Social Media, and Advertising Are Colliding:Consumers are embracing digital streaming and the creator economy while dodging advertising, challenging business models.
10. Digital Money – Wallets, Payments, Currency, and Crypto:The pandemic pushed consumers away from currency to cards, tap-to-pay, and digital wallets, but not into super apps just yet. Much more change is on the horizon.
11. Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Will Enable New Consumer Services: Consumers don't use artificial intelligence and machine learning, but they do embrace compelling experiences that those technologies enable. Advances will enable experiences such as selective listening and highly personalized media.

"Digital transformation is happening across the consumer economy, which is two-thirds of all global economic activity. This transformation is creating more and deeper relationships with consumers, resulting in disruption and change that ripples across markets and up supply chains," said Frank Gillett, IDC's Future Consumer research vice president.