The last decade has been characterized by the rapid development of technologies and their growing dominance in our daily lives. Here are 10 that marked the 2010s.
1. Cloud Computing
Even if cloud computing already existed before 2010, it is in the last decade that this technology has imposed itself.
Cloud computing is everywhere. For example, it has almost completely replaced the physical storage of light data with services like Google Drive and Dropbox, in addition to changing the business models of software companies like Microsoft and Adobe, which now offer their products in the cloud (Office 365, Creative Cloud, etc).
In the past, businesses, schools, government agencies and other organizations had their own data centers, but these are now being replaced by cloud computing and digitized databases.
Cloud computing also propels many of the services and applications that people use on a daily basis, whether we’re talking about Netflix, connected objects or a good part of mobile applications.
This is a technology that should take more and more space over the next decade and that could revolutionize certain sectors, including video games.
2. The Netflixs of this world
Yes, Netflix has been around for over 10 years (its founding actually dates back to the last millennium, in 1997), but the service as it is known today only appeared around 2008, before making its Canadian debut in 2010. In any case, it was in the last decade that Netflix really took off, so much so that there are hardly any video stores these days.
With more than 150 million subscribers today, Netflix pioneered video streaming and revolutionized the way people watch movies and TV shows. The company now produces exclusive content, including big-budget productions like The Irishman ($140M).
Several competing services, such as Amazon Prime Video, Crave and Disney+, have also appeared in recent years.
The popularization of such services has given rise to the phenomenon of ” cord cutting “, which consists of abandoning traditional TV distributors in favor of these new platforms.
3. Uber and Airbnb
Even if their categorization as stakeholders in the collaborative economy is more than questionable, Uber and Airbnb have had a definite impact on the transportation and secondary housing markets.
Using a cell phone, it is now easier than ever to order a taxi or find accommodation for an upcoming trip. It is also a complete game-changer for the providers of these services, who now have a new and very efficient way to be put in contact with their customers.
We bet that other sectors will be revolutionized in the same way over the next decade.
4. Spotify and its competitors
If MP3 players allowed people to carry their entire music catalog in their pocket, Spotify and other music streaming services gave them instant access to (almost) all the music in the world.
Just like Netflix, Spotify appeared before the turn of the decade (2008). However, the service has been popularized in the last 10 years, while its mobile application and its launch in Canada only date back to 2014.
For better or for worse, Spotify and its competitors (like Apple Music) have completely changed the world of music. Their viewing statistics are now paramount for music charts, and almost all new releases are offered there.
As a result, sales of compact discs continue to decline and several specialist stores, for example HMV, have had to close their doors.
5. Connected objects
Whether it’s connected speakers (like the Amazon Echo) or wearable technology (Apple Watch, among others), connected objects have taken up a lot of space in everyday life in recent years.
With smart speakers, it is now possible to know any information or to control the rest of the connected objects of a home – be it a camera, a light or a television – by means of a simple command. vocal.
Smart wristbands, like the Apple Watch and Fitbit, have changed the way people track fitness. They are also used to stimulate daily activity with step and exercise goals.
These objects should all have better interconnectivity in the next few years now that Google, Apple, Amazon and other manufacturers are developing a new unified standard for connectivity.
6.Instagram
Since its creation in 2010, Instagram has completely changed the relationship to photography and the ways of showing off on social networks. And it is not because these changes displease many that they did not mark the decade.
This is an era where everyone seems to be on a quest for the perfect “instagrammable” photo and where many feel it necessary to post updates on their latest activities or photos of the plate they enjoyed for dinner in their Stories.
Instagram has also revolutionized the world of marketing. Brands use it to sell their products, thanks in particular to influencers, and restaurants adjust their plates as well as their lighting so that they are optimized for “the Gram”.
7. 4G
Although the next generation of mobile communications – 5G – is upon us, it is 4G that has defined the last decade since its appearance in 2010.
Five times faster than 3G, the fourth generation of mobile communications has opened the door to a host of new possibilities for mobile devices, allowing for example the sharing of wireless access points or the development of applications requiring a lot of real-time data (Uber, for example).
More generally, 4G has accelerated the overall speed of mobile devices, which can now stream high definition video and download attachments without issue.
8. Artificial intelligence
Like cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) existed long before 2010, but it has become ubiquitous in recent years and is expected to take on even more importance over time.
AI powers many of the features of smartphones, from voice recognition to processing images taken by their cameras. It also allows social networks to offer personalized content thanks to algorithms.
This technology is increasingly helping humans in several areas, particularly through machine learning. Among other things, it can detect certain diseases – such as lung cancer – more accurately than a human being.
AI is increasingly replacing humans. Chatbots, for example, are on the rise in the field of customer service, and the automation of jobs in service as well as in factories has already begun.
Technologies that may figure prominently in everyday life in the future, such as facial recognition and robot assistants, are also powered by AI.
9. The iPad
When it was unveiled in April 2010, many people downplayed the importance of Apple’s tablet, calling it simply a giant iPhone. Ten years later, the iPad has sold over 350 million units and dominates the tablet market.
The iPad didn’t make computers obsolete, but it was an easy-to-use tool that replaced them for many people who used them to accomplish simple tasks. It is an exceptional personal entertainment device, ideal for watching movies or browsing the web, for example.

The iPad is also popular with children, but not only for fun reasons: it is also an increasingly common educational tool, allowing students to learn interactively.
The best may still be to come for the iPad, which finally has its own operating system (iPad OS) for only a few months. This one gives it more features that may make it a viable laptop alternative for multiple people.
10. Tinder and other dating apps
If dating sites have been around since the 90s, it’s only in the last 10 years that online dating has become popular, to the point of becoming the number one way to find love (or other if you like).
It is a phenomenon that has been greatly facilitated by the appearance of the smartphone and applications like Tinder, Grindr and Bumble, with which it is possible to find love with the swipe of a finger.