Safeguard Premier Branding Solutions Top 5 Continuing Tech Trends in 2020

Although many new and exciting tech trends will inevitably crop up throughout 2020, it’s important to remember the trends that are continuing to gain steam from 2019 and before. These are the tech trends which are going to increase in popularity this year and beyond because they target Gen Z as a whole. Higher end products such as virtual reality and drones will certainly have their uses in the promotional realm, but for now they’re still considered a bit too niche.

Wireless Charging

Wireless charging is the first trend to keep up with in 2020. It’s been on the scene for a while now, but is becoming faster and more available with each passing year — just about every smartphone made today is able to be charged wirelessly. And, just as we’re seeing a shift away from wired headphone support on smartphones, we may soon see wired charging lose support as well.

One of the biggest benefits of wireless charging is that it’s so simple — just set your phone on the charger and it charges. It doesn’t matter what brand of phone you have, so you never have to worry about having the right cord to charge it with. And, as wireless charging becomes more prominent, we’ll likely begin to see other devices besides smartphones take advantage of it. Maybe we’ll see a Kindle Fire with wireless charging, or AA batteries which can be charged wirelessly.

The key takeaway here is that wireless charging has nowhere to go but up, and your brand could take full advantage of this. With branded wireless chargers, every time a device is placed down or picked up, your brand is there.

Personalized Experience

Speaking of wireless things, Bluetooth speakers and headphones are also going to continue to be popular throughout 2020. Bluetooth speakers have been the norm for years by now — when was the last time you actually plugged an auxiliary cable into your phone to use a speaker? And with the aforementioned removal of auxiliary ports on smartphones, Bluetooth headphones are only going to see a rise in popularity.

But what do Bluetooth speakers and headphones have to do with personalized experiences? Everything, actually.

Listening to music is a highly personal activity, and Gen Z is all about personal identity. It doesn’t matter whether they’re listening to music on their own, or with other people. Their music taste is aligned with their personality, and that’s what matters. So any time you can provide or enhance a personal experience, such as listening to music, younger generations will take notice. Strategically placing your brand on devices which enhance the music listening experience is just one way of accomplishing this.

Staying Connected

Just about everyone is connected to each other via the power of the internet these days — and the vast majority of that connection is facilitated by smartphones. So what happens when your phone dies? You’re effectively cut off from the rest of the world as far as Millennials and Gen Z are concerned. 95% of Gen Z owns a cell phone, and 78% say that their phone is their most important tech device.

And this is where mobile power banks come in. When something, such as a smartphone, is so important to so many people, there’s always going to be an opportunity. The wireless charges mentioned above are great, but what about when your phone battery dies while you’re out and about? Power banks are the solution, and they have plenty of branding real estate.

This also ties into the idea of enhancing personalized experiences. Contrary to the impression many people might have about Gen Z, they’re actually one of the most active generations. They enjoy going out into the world (where there may not be wireless chargers available) and experiencing life — and posting updates of it to their social media, of course.

Device Cases and Sleeves

Phone cases and tablet/laptop sleeves might not be tech devices themselves in the same way the previous three suggestions were. But they do have an important role to play in the tech realm. Think of it this way: if more people are buying tech devices every day, and they’re also always upgrading devices, then there’s effectively an unlimited market for protective cases and sleeves. Do you know anyone who doesn’t have some sort of case on their phone? It’s possible, but unlikely.

The two primary functions of cases and sleeves are protection and style — with style arguably being more important to consumers. You may be surprised by just how many people would love to use a high quality phone case representing their favorite brand. And, let’s not forget that phone cases are great conversation starters.

There are even cases which allow older smartphones to utilize wireless charging if you’re looking to create your own branded tech kit.

Helpful Mobile Accessories

Finally, there’s the miscellaneous mobile accessories category. This includes things like PopSockets, phone straps, and phone wallets — all helpful items. PopSockets and phone straps are great for keeping a firm grip on devices you don’t want to drop. And while these accessories, especially PopSockets, may be targeted more towards the younger generations, their utility can be appreciated by anyone. Gen Z aren’t the only ones who drop their phones.

Phone wallets make carrying a separate, bulky wallet a thing of the past. Everyone already carries their phone around, so why bother carrying a wallet as well? Gen Z always has their smartphones, but they hate carrying cash. That’s why the phone wallet is such a perfect solution. It sticks to the back of their phone and can easily hold credit/debit and ID cards — everything you realistically need.

Conclusion

Tech trends continuing into 2020 from 2019 are still important from a promotional standpoint. And as a bonus, Bluetooth speakers, power banks, device cases and sleeves, and attachable mobile accessories all have plenty of branding space. They also all target things important to Gen Z, which is the largest (and growing) generation with buying power today. Failure to pay attention to the trends this tech-savvy generation embrace will likely prove to be a costly mistake in the long run.