Surviving Digital Darwinism
Digital Darwinism is present daily and only the strong will survive. When I say Digital Darwinism I am talking about the digital revolution we are experiencing within many industries that are being affected by the growth of the internet. The internet is the cornerstone of this theory which is based upon the idea that only businesses and individuals who adapt to technology and connectivity will survive.
Digital Darwinism—iamjohntmeyer (Flickr.com)
Let’s start by talking about three main industries that we see be affected, telecom, media, banking. No longer are the days when people have a home phone that they rely on to communicate with their peers and colleagues. Via Voice Over Internet Protocol(VOIP), we are now able to dial through the internet for not only cheaper rates but has better clarity. People are dumping their land lines daily and utilizing their cellphones for long distance and for their primary means of communication. Now we are seeing a new shift where people are utilizing this same phone that they use for their home phone, to also get on the internet.
For the first time as of the writing of this article, over 50% of all cellphones are now smartphones, over 50% of all internet searches are done from a smart phone, and just last week it was announced that over 50% of Facebook queries are done from a mobile device.
Media is changing everyday, the biggest one we are seeing is the over the top boxes (OTT) that are replacing cable and satellite TV services. Roku, Google and Apple TV are being put in place everyday. The idea behind these boxes is that you are no longer watching television via a channel at a certain time. Your display is now working for you, on your schedule, on your command and with cloud based queuing.
Banking is also making a major shift to digital currency companies like Dwolla and Bitcoin. The first sign of Digital Darwinism came about when people started to use debit cards instead of writing checks. Not only does this streamline the transaction time, but also provides for an accurate sake keeping record at the bank. Now we are seeing yet another shift in this industry as many people are taking payments via digital currency through Payment gateways on the internet. While still in its infancy digital currency must still end up in ones bank account or Prepaid card in order to be able to trade for goods or services.
So how does one go about surviving this time that will be marked in history as the Digital Revolution? It is my theory that if you don’t understand Internet Protocol and aren’t comfortable using the world-wide web, plan on receiving less wages and experiencing a poorer quality of life. It’s a harsh statement, but it is real, there is a major gap between the baby boomers and generation Y when it comes to technology. This gap, can only be filled with education and communication about current emerging technologies.
How do you or your business plan on Surviving Digital Darwinism?
