Connected Consumer 2030

A Foresight Report for Vodafone Smart Tech

Case Studies

Looking ahead at the key trends that will impact the connected consumer in 2030, Vodafone Smart Tech commissioned The Future Laboratory to produce a new foresight report identifying what will shape the next decade of connectivity and beyond

Harnessed in the right way, connectivity and smart tech can help solve a series of once-in-a-generation societal challenges, improve the lives of consumers across the globe and unlock greater human potential. But how do we get there? In this report, Vodafone Smart Tech commissioned The Future Laboratory to answers this question.

The report explores how the next decade of connectivity-powered transformation looks, including the creation of circular and regenerative societies, the development of smart cities that respond seamlessly to the needs of citizens, an era of Connected Care that empowers and liberates people to live independently for longer and take ownership over their own health and the rise of new, immersive technologies that, combined with human imagination, transform our experience of the world.

“The launch of The Connected Consumer 2030 Report has created thought-provoking content that has really ignited international conversations, both internally within our business and externally through media and consumers. It has also set the stage for the critical role of connectivity in building a more circular, sustainable society. The feedback we continue to receive has been incredible.”
Pamela Brown, Chief Marketing Officer, Vodafone Smart Tech

Click below to discover the resulting Connected Consumer 2030 Report, with key take-outs and statistics for this new era.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT

Commissioned by:

15 February 2022

Author: The Future Laboratory

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Vodafone Connected Consumer 2030

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: Foresight Overview

Apple AR[T] Tours, New York

By 2030, a connectivity explosion will fundamentally transform our experience of the world.

The world is at a crossroads. From the complex impacts of climate change, depleting resources and ageing populations to geopolitical instability and healthcare crises, society is facing a series of once-in-a-generation challenges simultaneously. In a period where it can feel as though uncertainty is the only certainty, these longer-term challenges can at any moment be themselves disrupted too – the global pandemic transformed many societies within days.

Crucially, this disruption can drive positive transformation, as the recent Covid-19 crisis illustrates. ‘Over the past 18 months, the world has experienced a dramatic shift in dynamic and demand for connectivity, as people have come to rely on technology to stay connected with the outside world,’ says Alex Froment-Curtil, chief commercial officer at Vodafone Group. ‘Now, consumers have a greater appreciation of connectivity and how it adds transformative value to their everyday lives.’

‘Connectivity is the fabric that will sit underneath all of our digital infrastructure, applications and content. The next decade will see connectivity become much more visible to customers, enabling new experiences which fundamentally transform both individual lives and society.’

Vinod Kumar, CEO, Vodafone Business

: Connected Consumer 2030

The Self-sufficient City by Guallart Architects, Xiong'an

A series of technological, economic, social and cultural shifts will drive consumer behaviour throughout the next decade, shaping how, where and why people harness connectivity and smart technology.

Some of these emerging shifts and trends include:

: Whole-system Thinkers
Previously focused specifically on the environment, consumers are now developing a holistic understanding of ethics and sustainability.

: Rurban Mindsets
Cities, which have their own cultural and economic microclimates, were already undergoing transformation before the pandemic. Covid-19 has accelerated this process, revolutionising the way we work and placing a greater emphasis on liveability, sustainability and health.

: Digital Wellness
In the aftermath of Covid-19, collective concerns about wellbeing and immunity will drive new directions in connectivity, as consumers harness smart technology for phygital rehabilitation.

Discover the Regenizens Community – meet the community-focused citizens who are reframing their relationship with consumption to be not just more sustainable, but also regenerative and ethical.

DISCOVER THE REGENIZENS COMMUNITY

‘Society is evolving faster than we think, and it’s driving new, sustainable directions within the world of technology. We need technology to optimise daily life so we can live more sustainably. ’

Alex Froment-Curtil, chief commercial officer, Vodafone Group

: Connecting Futures

Autonomous vehicle by PriestmanGoode for Dromos Technologies, London

Over the next decade, Connected Consumers and their shifting mindsets will radically transform expectations of connectivity and smart technology. To explore this new horizon, we have identified five pillars around which consumers will seek to harness the power of connectivity through to 2030, as smart solutions fundamentally and effortlessly transform both people’s lives and society as a whole.

1. Sustainability
Humanity continues to deplete the Earth’s natural resources 1.75 times faster than our eco-systems can regenerate, according to Global Footprint Network. But the next decade – driven by a new consumer mindset – will see connectivity harnessed to create a more resilient, circular, regenerative society.

2. Smart Cities and Mobility
Over the next decade, a connectivity explosion will drive high performance across the entirety of urban infrastructure, as local governments and mobility companies harness smart technology to transform transport for good.

3. Connected Care
As people’s health and wellbeing needs continue to grow in scale and complexity, care systems around the world are under increasing pressure – and connectivity will prove a lifeline to a sector facing breaking point.

4. Ethical Connectivity
As people become more aware of digital threats and potential biases, the next decade will see society recalibrate its moral compass and embed integrity and collective ethical codes of conduct into new technologies.

5. The Next Tech
Driven by connectivity and the power of human imagination, new tools will extend our experience of the world and facilitate an entirely new way of engaging with products – and with each other.

This is just a snippet of the Connected Consumer 2030 Report. Click below to download the full report PDF.
READ THE FULL REPORT

‘Society would be greatlyimproved if tech brands couldfocus on designing technologiesthat help people become abetter version of themselves –in whatever guise that may be.’

Katie Hillier, chief digital anthropologist, the LiiV Center

Are you ready for what’s new and next?

To learn more from about the Connected Consumer 2030 report, download the full report here.

If you are interested in finding out more about our foresight reports that combine quantitative and qualitative research with original case studies and innovations to achieve your business objectives, click here.