One day they are in and the next day they are out, different forms of technology. But, what has come and gone? Read further to find which three technological advances are no longer in demand. You still may use several items on the list.

Pioneers in the Field

1. Cable TV creates an unnecessary bill for some and is a must-have for others. Nonetheless, the popularity of cable television continues to wane. Why? Cable subscribers have been declining since 2004. And, some analysts believe this trend will continue. Let’s take a closer look at cable stats: Roughly 54.8 million households currently pay for cable TV; which has decreased 3.3 percent from 2012 and down 17.6 percent from a decade prior, information that comes from research firm IHS.

What’s more, cable companies are expected to part ways with close to 1.3 million subscribers this year. So, something has to replace cable television in residences, right? Roku, Hulu and Netflix are alternative options to cable service that offer the same programming at a lower cost.

2. Having a landline can prove useful in the wake of a disaster, especially if ones cell phone is not fully charged or has no reception. However, fewer households have landlines in them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that two in every five U.S. homes had wireless phones only during the first half of the year, an uptick from the first half of 2012. The change in landline use can be attributed to alternate means of communication such as Skype, FaceTime and the like.

While we are touching on the subject of landlines, now is the perfect time to discuss two-year contracts for cell phones. A plethora of customers just are not satisfied with these contracts. How come? There is no way to change phones within this period of time without being assessed a fee. We can’t forget about the fact that several of these plans result in consumers paying more than the starting monthly price they originally were quoted in the store.

Instead, customers are looking to other options to meet their needs; this is where no contract providers fit in. No contract providers are offered at Best Buy, Wal-Mart and MetroPCS, to name a few. Ever conscience of this shift, most popular wireless providers offer this option, too.

3. Kodak, Polaroid and Nikon are a few iconic names associated with photography. Furthermore, digital cameras are known for their compact size and sleek packaging. Over the past couple of years digital camera use has begun to decline. The Consumer Electronics Association has taken particular note of the dwindling purchases. One reason digital cameras aren’t as popular is because consumers who want high-quality photos are now selecting DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) cameras. What about those who choose not to purchase cameras at all? Simply put, many just use their smartphone to capture images.

The Never-Ending Change

As technology continues to advance, many once highly sought-after products will be pushed to the side for cheaper and more convenient alternatives. Will you adopt these less costly trends?

Web Links:

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/03/17/cable-and-satellite-tv-use-has-dropped-dramatically-in-the-u-s-since-2015/;

https://theweek.com/articles/453847/10-trends-changing-how-youll-shop-2014;

https://www.roku.com;

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/10-things-not-to-buy-in-2014-2013-12-27?link=MW_story_popular;

https://www.cta.tech.

-Kimberly Williams