As 2024 draws to a close, we look back on what has turned out to be one of the most significant years for tech in a long time. Technology shifts that have been taking shape for ages finally broke into the mainstream, and when we look back several years or decades from now, it will be clear that the biggest shifts, particularly with AI, occurred in 2024. AI is of course the biggest driver of change, with constant hype about new products and features hitting the headlines, and major effects began to be felt across major industries and throughout society.
We’ve also seen some huge news come out of the corporate world, with some tech companies surging in value but others announcing layoffs just to stay afloat – plus of course some high-profile startups that rocketed to fame and then fizzled out immediately. Closer to home, there’s been big news on the Make in India front and a big tech shakeup originally anticipated this year might be back on track after an unexpected delay.
Here’s more about what we think the biggest tech news stories of 2024 were:
AI Spreads Everywhere
Of course, AI has been the biggest topic of 2024. We’re only just starting to see how it will affect our jobs, education, and society at large, but every company wants a piece of the pie. From Apple Intelligence and Microsoft Copilot to every home appliance and car now seemingly having AI built in, there’s no shortage of hype. On the other hand, the Rabbit R1 and Humane Pin AI accessories were the most-hyped products of the year, and both flopped – hard.
Also read: 2024 in Review: The Year of Inescapable Consumer AI
Make in India Makes Its Mark
We saw huge strides in local manufacturing, with several tech companies including Foxconn, LG, Tata Electronics, and dozens of other companies announcing new plants, research centres, deals, and products built or assembled right here. Indian semiconductor manufacturing was a big topic, but it will take many years for this ecosystem to develop.
Also read: 2024 in Review: Make in India Surges, With Semiconductors Sharply in Focus
Mobile Tariffs Increase
India is world-famous for its affordable mobile plans, but inflation and infrastructure costs finally made every operator raise prices this July. Prepaid and postpaid plans on Jio, Airtel and Vi all went up, and freebies are on the decline.
Apple Parks its Car; Xiaomi Drives In
Apple ended years of work trying to get into the smart car market, and now we’ll probably never see what exactly it was working on for so long. However rival Xiaomi debuted its first vehicle, the gorgeous SU7, which has become a sensation in China and could launch in Europe in 2025, if production can keep up with demand.
Apple Vision Pro Underwhelms
On the other hand, Apple’s long-rumoured VR headset finally went on sale. The Vision Pro is expensive, has limited use cases, and is reportedly not comfortable to wear for long periods. It’s only available in a few countries and hasn’t been a huge success. Apple is reportedly working on different types of headsets and smart glasses including more affordable models. Maybe the next attempt will take off?
Neuralink Makes Bold Claims
The Neuralink “brain interface” implant was reportedly tested twice on humans this year, and the results shown to the world are certainly impressive. It could be life-changing for many people, especially those with spinal injuries and limited mobility. But don’t get too excited yet – far more testing is needed, and the Elon Musk-owned company is also being investigated for fraud.
Tesla Almost Arrives in India
Speaking of Elon Musk, he was supposed to visit India in April to finalise Tesla’s entry here. The company has reportedly been scouting for land to build a new Gigafactory in India, but those plans apparently got put on hold. There’s also the question of Tesla’s now-cancelled low-cost car, which could have been a big seller. At least we’re ending the year with a hint that big news is in the works for 2025.
Crowdstrike Outage Causes Pandemonium
And finally, this October we endured what’s being called the biggest IT outage in history. Security infrastructure company Crowdstrike sent out a faulty update that crashed millions of Windows PCs around the world, causing flight cancellations, disruptions at hospitals and banks, and much more chaos. Hopefully all companies involved have learnt enough to prevent a repeat.
X Marks the Crater
Twitter (now X), one of the pillars of social media and a de facto necessity for every business and individual who wants to build a following online, was marked down by investment firm Fidelity, which said in October that its value has fallen by 80 percent post acquisition by Elon Musk. Ad revenue is down and many prominent voices have abandoned the platform in the face of disinformation and poor moderation. However, X still wields huge influence in shaping public discourse, as seen during elections held in many major democracies this year. In related news, Koo, which once pitched itself as an Indian Twitter alternative, shut down abruptly this year due to financial struggles.
Intel Gets Shaken to the Core
Intel, one of the biggest names in tech worldwide, has had a rough few years. It has never seemed to be on the verge of a crisis, but that’s exactly what happened. Despite announcing massive layoffs and major restructuring in October, the company lost its spot on the Nasdaq. Qualcomm, which finally saw success as an Intel competitor in the laptop space in 2024 after trying for years, reportedly made an acquisition offer. CEO Pat Gelsinger was ousted in a shock announcement on December 1. Intel won’t fail outright, because it’s a huge asset to the US government, but it might be split up. And while clouds gather overhead, arch-rival AMD’s CEO Lisa Su was named Time’s CEO of the Year for 2024.
What else grabbed your attention this year? Do let us know @ackobyte on all social platforms!
