Five of the Best Disruptor Innovations of the Digital Age

For decades, businesses and companies have enjoyed the benefits of innovations that have risen seemingly out of nowhere.

Defined as any innovation that makes a sophisticated or expensive product affordable and accessible to a broader market, but which isn’t appealing to primary customers from the get-go, some associate disruptor innovations with success; others see them as catastrophic since they put others at a disadvantage.

Here is a list of five of the best disruptor innovations in the digital age:

1. The iPhone

Apple’s iPhone entered a crowded market, but as a phone, an iPod and the internet all together in one in your pocket, quickly blew everything else out the water. As it evolved, selling apps and content to us as we went about our lives, the iPhone ecosystem housed it’s offering, and the offerings of many other companies, in one very secure walled garden that we never needed to leave.

2. Uber, Lyft, mobility solutions

People don’t give up easily on car ownership. Many see it as a rite of passage. By maintaining a reliable, always-available, on-call fleet of rides, the likes of Uber and Lyft quickly won over urbanites. Even petrolhead commuters clicked that services like UberPool and Lyft Line could adequately service their needs.

3. Audio &  Video Streaming

Streaming has undoubtedly changed the business model of the entertainment industry faster than it was anticipated. After all, with only an internet connection, you can stream videos from YouTube or Netflix from the comfort of your home; you can listen to almost any music track ever produced from your car or your phone. 

However, this innovation led to the collapse of video rental stores as people shifted to online video streaming, while the music industry only avoided bankruptcy by eventually jumping on the streaming bandwagon. Artists, who earn a fraction of a cent for each stream, are in general worse off because of it.

4. Robotics and 3D Printing 

3D printing technology is still the new kid on the block, and this innovation has changed how vendors and printing media do their work. As a disruptive innovation, 3D printers use filaments that integrate real-world objects to make printing more realistic.

Robots are also now used in 3D printing to replace human labour. As a result, it’s now possible to print more sophisticated designs remotely and in real-time. Furthermore, this technology is now accessible and more affordable than ever before. 

5. The Internet of Things

Internet of Things (IoT) technology has changed how people interact with smart devices. In fact, you can now use IoT devices to switch off the lights, lock the door and open the microwave without moving a step. Overall, this is a positive disruption that has made life easier.