Cloud Computing Attempts To Reshape Communications By 2020

If John Donovan, the current Chief Technology Officer of AT&T is right, then we will all be able to throw away our mobile devices in just 10 years time.

According to Donovan, future technology will allow us to store on cloud platforms our personal information, contact numbers, email addresses and many other kinds of data that we typically save on our cell phones.  By 2020, he also said that we would also be able to authorize logarithms to access our information and analyze it to help us organize personal lists.

So long as this technology does materialize as something viable, Donovan believes that there will be less compulsion for people to constantly carry their cell phones everywhere they go.  He added that there will be a convergence of technologies and systems that is matched by a disintegration of devices.

For example, he said that in the future if you were to visit a friend’s house, you would be less worried about forgetting to bring your cell phone with you.  If you do forget, you can simply use your friend’s TV and from there access all of the information that you have stored in your cell phone.

From the same device, you would also be able to make calls, read and send e-mail messages.   All you will need to do is provide the correct access codes and passwords and you are ready to go.

For its part, AT&T has already begun experimenting with this kind of technology, and is experiencing a series of successful beta runs so far.  Mr. Donovan himself is deeply involved with these tests and has even agreed to become a “guinea pig” of sorts.

To me, it seems that while Mr. Donovan may be right about the convenience of this technology, he is living in a bit of a fantasy world if he thinks people are going to give up on their mobile devices altogether.

I believe that his ideas are good, but simply go too far. Donovan is forgetting one thing, that is, people are attached to material possessions, and something like a mobile device is often seen as a thing of comfort for people to have with them. Further, cell phones and tablet computers are often seen as fashion accessories, and this trend doesn’t look like it’s going to die out any time soon.

Lastly, who wants to rely on their friends TV anyway? It’s obviously much more convenient to have your own portal to connect you to the world.

The question that begs then is how far reaching will this technology be?  It seems to me that this type of cloud computing service will at best become more of a niche product, which people can use as a backup service, rather than one with universal appeal that has the potential to replace our beloved mobile phones and tablet computers.

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Tags: At&T, cloud computing, Strategy

Category: AT&T, Infrastructure, New Products, Strategy