Internet trends: Jeff Cole and Olle Findahl predict the future

On Tuesday afternoon, May 6, The world Internet Institute arranged a seminar with the topic Internet Sweden/US: differences and similarities. The seminar turned out to be a huge success with over 300 participants.

Jeff Cole, one of the world's most prominent Internet researchers and Manager for the Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California, shared some of the growing trends that can be spotted when it comes to the Internet today. He thinks all media will survive, but adapt and shrink in a digital world. TV will be moving out of the living room and in to the cell phones, while newspapers will change from a static, slow updated paper format, to an audio- and visual Internet experience.

Olle Findahl, Research Manager at the World Internet Institute, presented statistics showing how the soon to be retirees of Sweden will demand more from the Internet than the older generations currently do. Still, Sweden is already in a leading position in terms of elderly using the Internet to find information.

Both Findahl and Cole spoke of how broad band is taking over and transforming the expectations of the user to a more interactive and constantly updated information ready to be consumed at all times.

Cole also pointed out that the young people of today will stay mobile and not use stationary PCs when they get older. Nor do they seem to use watches, as their cell phones tell the time. This is something that might affect the jewellery business, he reflected.

For more information see article from umealive.se

Written by Anna Bylin, AmCham Sweden
Foto: Mikael Hansson