With the Internet of Things being a hot topic for the last year or so, the term convergence has come up in assessments over and over again and we can expect to see it for quite a while longer.
The word convergence means to come together or join as one.
The best example of convergence is probably the smartphone. This one device has replaced a multitude of devices both physically and functionally:
- Alarm clock
- Atlas
- Calculator
- Calendar
- Card game
- Cellphone
- Compass
- Contact list
- Diary
- Dictaphone (Voice recorder)
- Dictionary
- Digital Camera
- Encyclopaedia
- Fitness Trainer
- GPS device
- Magazine
- Map
- Metronome
- Mirror
- MODEM
- MP3 player
- Newspaper
- Personal Computer
- Photo Album
- Radio
- Stopwatch
- Telephone Directory
- Timer
- Torch
- Tour guide
- Video game console
- Video recorder
- Watch
You cannot define convergence as “a device with many technologies combined in one”. Most modern computing devices, for example, an ATM, incorporate many, many technologies, but are dedicated devices.
What other devices are good examples of convergence?
- A Smart TV which functions as a TV and also allows you to browse the Internet.
- A modern GPS-enabled sports watch or smartwatch tells the time, monitors your heart rate, records your GPS track in 3 dimensions, speed, G-force, direction and more.
- A tablet that offers much the same functionality as a smartphone with the benefit of a larger screen.