Five Major Industries Which Have Been Revolutionized By Technology

Technology has permanently changed the world in countless ways. This is a phenomenon that is not always obvious, as we tend to quickly take new developments for granted. However, a look at some of the world's major industries reveals how drastically new technology has altered nearly every detail of our daily lives. Here is a look at a few industries which have been completely transformed through recent technological innovations:

News and Print Media

While the internet hasn't yet rendered print media obsolete, it has greatly reduced its influence. As more and more people get their information online, traditional newspapers and magazines struggle to hold onto subscribers. Even TV news has lost many viewers to the internet.

Travel

Travel is another industry where technology has made some drastic changes to the way business is conducted. It is now so easy for people to book flights, hotels and vacations online that brick-and-mortar travel agencies are now practically obsolete. Physical, printed flight passes and tickets are being phased out, replaced by e-tickets and flight passes.

Healthcare

The medical and healthcare industries of today are far more automated and technologically advanced than those of a few decades ago. Not only has medical equipment gotten more sophisticated, but the way billing and paperwork are handled has completely changed. Appointment scheduling, medical information release, and billing systems in physical therapy offices, hospitals, and doctor's offices can now be performed online and organized by advanced software systems designed especially for use by medical professionals.

Entertainment

Not that long ago, people listened to record albums, tapes and CDs. While these are still widely used, download-able music formats such as the .mp3 file have taken over a large chunk of the music industry. The same is true for movies and TV shows. Video rental stores, once a thriving market, have been wiped out in the last few years. Streaming of movies, music and other entertainment will only increase in the coming years.

Book Publishing

As customers increasingly purchase books online, physical bookstores are having a hard time staying afloat. An even bigger change is the shift from print books to e-books. Each year, e-books grab a larger portion of the market. It is cheaper and more convenient for people to read books on their Kindles and other e-book readers than to buy them. This has dramatically altered the book publishing industry.

The above are some of the leading examples of how recent advances have revolutionized entire industries. Technology is advancing so quickly that businesses must learn how to adapt if they want to survive. As new developments become ever more revolutionary, we can expect more drastic changes in the near future.