Disruptive technology doesn’t just make things better; it replaces them. This is an innovation that either disrupts an existing system or creates an entirely new industry. These tools are both destructive and creative. They make old products obsolete. Sometimes they can destroy entire industries. And from the ruins we build something new.
The result is a change in the way we work. It changes the way we live. It changes the way we think and act.
Think about a typical morning. You are in a self-driving car. you go to a meeting. Talk to your Bluetooth connection. Your smartphone starts a video call with your colleague. You tell him to bring you a prototype medical device. I made the parts with a 3D printer. The call ends. You take out the tablet. View presentations created in the cloud. You can schedule the DVR at home with an app on your phone. You can save your favorite programs for later use.
Ten years ago, this scenario would have sounded like fiction. It would have belonged in a futuristic theme park exhibit. Today, this has become a reality. Or very close to it. New companies are springing up around these capabilities. The infrastructure is already here.
We’ve seen this cycle before. DVRs replaced VHS recorders. Personal computers replaced typewriters and mainframes. Laptops have replaced desktop computers. Tablets are now threatening the position of laptops. The pattern is consistent.
This term usually refers to gadgets. Ideal for electronic devices. But it also applies to concepts. Think of an online store. It didn’t exist 20 years ago. Microfinance is new. A fixed-price video service that started with DVDs. Then they went live. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, GoFundMe and IndieGoGo are modern inventions. Most of these relied on the Internet. Twenty years ago, few understood what the Internet was.
It’s not just a hardware problem. A service that makes the hardware convenient. The combination of cloud storage, mobile connections and self-driving cars creates a new ecosystem. Legacy companies must adapt or die. It gives new ones a chance to lead.
Our transformation is not over yet. The next wave has arrived. It’s just hiding in plain sight.
