Technology has arguably progressed more in the past 15 years than any other generation. In truth, the post-millennial advancements have been quite scary. And the growth doesn’t look like slowing down anytime soon.
Our relationship with technology has undergone a huge change in recent times. Is the next step feasible step to reach an environment exclusively comprised of rentals?
The premise might sound a little mad. But it could be feasible. As always, business is at the core of all modern tech progress. The latest developments have helped the various industries in various ways. With this, rentals have played a growing part.
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to store files in the cloud or simply use software like Microsoft Office. Nowadays, renting is the most common form of agreements. Naturally, this has filtered into the personal home use too.
In addition to renting software and storage space for work commitments, we can also rent downloadable games. Our rental entertainment doesn’t end there either. Streaming services like Netflix have completely changed the film rental industry. In truth, the days of heading to the local Blockbuster store feel like a lifetime ago.
As far as those industries are concerned, there is no going back. It’s more convenient; it offers better value to the customer; it makes more money for the businesses. Everyone’s a winner. Besides, the instant payments and direct debits are a lot easier to manage too.
Renting software and entertainment files isn’t the only way that our relationship with tech has changed. While hardware rental has always been prevalent in business, it never used to play such a vital role in our personal lives. Nowadays, though, iPad rentals and other device hires are increasingly commonplace.
With tech hardware progressing at such a fast rate, rentals could potentially be the key to staying on trend with the latest additions. Most people can’t afford to keep buying new phones, tablet and laptops every single year. With rental agreements, though, it’s far easier to stay on top.
Additionally, it should mean that consumers enjoy better covers. This should help protect them against the threat of damages or burglaries. Make no mistake, these will always be things that people want to avoid. But the growth of rentals could improve the situation greatly. If the switch makes consumers feel less vulnerable, it will inevitably happen.
Tech companies aren’t stupid. Global giants like Apple are multi-million dollar organisations. They invest a lot of time and money into market research and future possibilities. The fact we’ve seen such a huge shift in our relationships should give a huge indication of the way that the future is being shaped.
There’s no doubt that there will always be a place for buying tech items outright. Nevertheless, the growing regularity of rentals suggests that we will continue to move in this direction.
When you take depreciation into account, most gadgets aren’t worth what we pay. Therefore, most consumers would happily trade ownership to have the best items. Meanwhile, the corporations will be thrilled to see their profits grow. It’s unquestionable that rentals have played a growing part of our tech relationships in recent years. One can only expect the trend will continue for years to come.
