We're staring down the barrel of 2020, and an entirely new decade of technological progress. It's impossible to predict what tech will look like 10 years from now. But as the 2010s come to an end, it's a good time to reflect on a decade of new apps, devices, innovations, and tech-driven societal shifts that have radically changed the way we live our day-to-day lives, for better or worse.
The 2010s have ushered in an unparalleled era of cloud computing and artificial intelligence, a bevy of new devices and hardware innovations, 4G networks powering a new generation of connected apps and services, and a lot more. Take a trip back through 10 years of technology, much of which it's now hard to imagine living without.
iPad (2010)
In 2010, the iPad ushered in an entirely new category of computing devices. In our review, we found that a "difficult-to-pinpoint target customer and a few pesky omissions are overshadowed by the excellent overall experience you get with Apple's iPad. And it sets the bar high for competing products in this nascent Internet tablet category." It earned an Editors' Choice.
When it was released, many thought it was an expensive luxury device that fit somewhere between a laptop and a smartphone. As with many Apple products, it wore us down over time: today there's a healthy tablet market that continues to find new uses—both work and play—for what at its core is simply a large, portable touch screen.
IBM Watson (2010)
This was the decade in which artificial intelligence went mainstream. For many, that started when they watched IBM's Watson beat Ken Jennings on Jeopardy! in 2010. How we understand machine learning, deep learning, and AI has changed a lot since then, and so has IBM Watson, but Watson's run on the iconic game show remains a touchstone moment tech's impact on culture. (Photo by Ben Hider/Getty Images)
Instagram (2010)
Instagram got a billion-dollar boost of Facebook cash in 2012, and has since evolved into a much different experience than it was at its inception in October 2010. It's even in the process of nixing likes for some users. But the ubiquitous photo-editing and sharing app has turned us all into amateur photographers and changed the way we experience and share our lives with the world, for better or worse. IG is the poster child of curating your social presence into the perfectly presented version of your life.
Microsoft Azure (2010)
Amazon Web Services launched its cloud-computing platform in 2006, but the 2010s are when the market exploded, becoming the core infrastructure underlying the modern internet and all our digital experiences. AWS's biggest competition, Microsoft Azure, emerged onto the scene in 2010 and has grown into a key pillar of Microsoft's business under current CEO Satya Nadella. Azure's biggest win in closing the significant ground between it and AWS came right at the close of the decade, when it won the Pentagon's $10 billion JEDI contract to modernize the military's cloud infrastructure (much to Amazon's chagrin).
Nexus (2010)
The smartphone brand today known as Google Pixel began in 2010 as Nexus with the Google Nexus One. The inventive line of phones fell victim to Android's fragmentation, but created the foundation for today's powerful line of Pixel phones, which consistently outshine competitors like the iPhone on features like camera quality and AI-infused user experience.
4G Networks Launch in the US (2010-2011)
The rise of 4G networks over the course of 2010-2011 ushered in a new wave of mobile innovation. Combined with the rise of smartphones, 4G created the opportunity for apps like Uber, Spotify, Google Maps, Twitter, Snapchat, and countless more to exist and thrive. PCMag has chronicled the evolution of cellular networks for the past decade through our Fastest Mobile Networks feature, and we're also keeping a close eye on the next era with our Race to 5G series.
Adobe Creative Cloud (2011)
When Adobe's desktop-installed suite of applications made the shift to Adobe Creative Cloud, it marked the end of one software model and the beginning of another. Adobe Creative Cloud remains one of the most popular web-based app suites, and a poster child of the cloud subscription plans that now dominate the tech industry. (Photo: NurPhoto /Getty Contributor)
Amazon Kindle Fire Tablets (2011)
Amazon jumped into hardware in 2007 with its Kindle e-reader, and expanded that lineup in 2011 with a low-cost alternative to the iPad, the Kindle Fire tablet. These devices, which have since been renamed Amazon Fire tablets, now include popular kid-friendly versions, and are an affordable way for adults to tap into Amazon Prime Video, e-books, and other Android apps in one place.
Chromebooks (2011)
Sometimes all you need from a laptop is a web browser. Chromebooks created a new market of cheaper laptops for users who only need the basics and an internet connection, beginning with the first Chromebooks from Acer and Samsung in 2011. Today there are...quite a bit more. These days, Chromebooks are particularly popular in schools, where they stand up to wear and tear better than tablets.
iMessage (2011)
The blue chat bubbles. Read receipts. Sending texts via Wi-Fi rather than by SMS. Apple's iMessage gave us all of that, and now you can do everything from sending Memoji and GIFs to paying friends within the messaging app. Yet perhaps iMessage's most lasting legacy is how it sidelined Android users and their green-bubbled ilk, keeping many a smartphone user tied to Apple's ecosystem.
Minecraft (2011)
Minecraft is maybe the most iconic game of the decade, boasting millions of players and spawning countless sandbox creation games trying to emulate it. There's a reason Microsoft bought Minecraft developer Mojang for $2.5 billion back in 2014.
Snapchat (2011)
Photo and video messages that disappear. That was the original concept of Snapchat, the intentionally difficult-to-use social app aimed at younger generations. While Snapchat has changed a lot over the years and parent company Snap, Inc. keeps trying to make Spectacles a thing, Snapchat itself has become something of a modest success story. After famously spurning Facebook's buyout offer and going public to a rocky IPO, Snap is finally on its way back up.
Twitch TV (2011)
Twitch capitalized on the esports revolution before anyone else saw it coming. The real-time gaming broadcast and chat platform has changed the way people experience game streams all over the world. To this day, Google must be kicking itself that its rumored buyout deal collapsed in 2014 before Amazon swooped in and bought it.
Uber (2011)
Uber was founded in 2009, but the app and ride-hailing service first launched in San Francisco in 2011. Lyft, its biggest US competitor, followed in 2012. Uber leveraged 4G networks and the built-in GPS capabilities of smartphones to upend an entire industry, changing the way we hail rides and turning into one of the most infamous tech startup unicorns of the decade. For the whole crazy story, read New York Times reporter Mike Isaac's recent book Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber. It's one of my favorite books of the year.(Credit:PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images)
IPv6 Launch (2012)
IPv6 is one of those terms you've probably heard, but have no idea what it means or how important it is to how the internet functions. The networking standard went live in June 2012, replacing the previous decades-old standard for allocating IP addresses on the internet for a new era of connectivity that spans an endless ecosystem of smart devices. (Image: iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Microsoft Surface (2012)
Two years after the release of the iPad, Microsoft debuted the Surface as a 2-in-1 workstation to bridge the gap between a laptop and a tablet. There was some concern that Redmond was biting the hand that feeds it—PC makers—but after a bumpy rollout (RIP Surface RT), Microsoft has carved out a space in the market with innovative machines, like the Surface Pro 7, an Editors' Choice.
Oculus VR (2012)
The virtual reality headset market as we know it began in 2012 with Oculus; this photo was taken on the floor at CES 2013. Read our initial impressions of the Oculus, and PCMag's review of the inaugural Oculus Rift Development Kit. Consumer VR headsets haven't yet taken the world by storm, in part because they initially needed to be tethered to pricey gaming PCs. But standalone VR headsets are improving, and the market "is expected to expand drastically in the coming years," according to Statista, from $16.8 billion in 2019 to $160 billion in 2023.
Raspberry Pi (2012)
Released in February 2012, the first model Raspberry Pi changed the way we think about cheap personal computing for techies and tinkerers who want to build their own single-board system. Raspberry Pi has continued to improve, and now includes features like gigabit Ethernet and more processing power for an exceptionally capable tiny desktop computer.
Slack (2012)
Today, it's hard to imagine company messaging without Slack. The team messaging and collaboration app hasn't exactly replaced email, but its intuitive interface, custom channels and emoji, slash commands, integrations, and the rest have changed how we interact with not only coworkers but any group with which you want to connect and coordinate. Slack's been so successful, Microsoft is doing its best to rip it off and take back market share through Microsoft Teams.
Tesla Model S (2012)
The Tesla Model S changed the game for electric cars in the US. The company's second car after the Tesla Roadster was—at $50,000—a more affordable four-seat sports sedan, which was named Motor Trend Car of the Year and outsold Porsches and Jaguars in California. Elon Musk got himself into some trouble with the feds last year, but production on the $35,000 Model 3 continues.
Chromecast (2013)
I don't know what I'd do without my Chromecast. Google made wireless streaming from mobile devices to the TV as simple as a few taps, all for $35. The technology is now built-in to many TVs, but if you need to make an old TV smart, just plug in this affordable dongle and you'll be watching Netflix, HBO, YouTube, and countless other streaming services on the big screen in no time.
DJI Phantom 1 (2013)
The consumer drone market is now filled with plenty of competitors, but it all began back in 2013 with the original DJI Phantom. A remote-controlled quadcopter with an HD camera used to be something only the government could get; now anyone with some disposable income can snag one. DJI has continued to improve on its Phantom model with better performance, higher-res image and video capture, and longer battery life.
Ethereum (2013)
Bitcoin's genesis came just before this decade in 2009, but the complexity and evolving legacy of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology is also intertwined with Ethereum, which was first proposed by creator Vitalik Buterin in 2013; the initial release came in 2015.
Nvidia G-Sync (2013)
You may not know what screen stuttering is, but the Nvidia G-Sync chip is what defeated it. Beginning in gaming laptops, G-Sync is now in OLED TV screens and beyond, using adaptive frame rate technology to make sure there's never screen tearing while you're gaming.
PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (2013)
In 2013, Xbox and PlayStation went head-to-head for the future of console gaming. Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One spawned a new era of games and countless thinkpieces, though PS4 got the last laugh when it came to units sold. Next year it all begins again with Xbox Project Scarlett and the PS5.
Amazon Echo and Alexa (2014)
Alexa is the queen of the voice assistants. Ever since Amazon unveiled the first Echo smart speaker in 2014, smart home devices with smart assistants have exploded in popularity and changed computing. Alexa continues to learn more skills as it competes with Google Assistant, Cortana, and Siri, but users are also beginning to realize that always-on convenience comes with major trade-offs when it comes to privacy.
Apple CarPlay (2014)
We're still figuring out the best way to make cars smart. Self-driving still has a long way to go, which is why no one milestone is included on this list. But Apple did take steps toward turning your car dashboard into a smartphone screen with Apple CarPlay in 2014. While we found the tech left a lot to be desired, the move led Google to come out with its competing Android Auto system a few years later as carmakers and tech companies look for new ways to innovate on in-car infotainment systems.
USB-C (2014)
Thanks to Apple, it's tough to say there's one universal port for all computing devices. But USB-C is close. Finalized in August 2014, USB-C is an industry standard connector for both data and power using a single cable, and is now found on now found on all manner of devices from simple external hard drives to smartphone charging cables.
Windows 10 (2014)
After the disaster that was Windows 8 and 8.1, Windows 10 was a desperately needed righting-of-the-ship for Microsoft's flagship operating system. Windows 10 represented an ambitious but realistic attempt for Microsoft to modernize its OS while also building for the future, introducing concepts like Universal Windows Apps that run on any form factor. It took until January 2019, however, for it to topple Windows 7 and become the world's most popular OS.
Apple Watch (2015)
The Apple Watch wasn't the first smartwatch, but it reset the wearables market and has slowly carved out a healthy user base compared to the iPhone, even with all the reasons to buy or not to buy the wrist-worn device. Google's recent deal to buy Fitbit represented both parties giving in; the smartwatch war is over and Apple won.
Google DeepMind's AlphaGo (2015)
Google bought DeepMind in 2014 to bolster its robot army with AI, but the company's broader shift toward deep learning has been far more profound. DeepMind's first big impact on Google came when its AlphaGo AI beat Lee Sedol, the top-ranked Go player in the world. AlphaGo has since gone on to beat the top-ranked chess bot and take on human players in yet another frontier of complex strategy: StarCraft.
Apple AirPods (2016)
I still maintain that AirPods look stupid, get lost too easily, and cost too much. But looking around New York City these days, it's clear Apple's cultural effect won out. People love their AirPods, and Apple's accessory sales have become a bigger and bigger chunk of its revenue lately. Apple once again reset the market, and yet again it's taken Google a few years just to catch up.
Google Assistant (2016)
Alexa and Siri came first, but the Google Assistant has arguably become the most advanced personal AI of the bunch as Google builds the intelligent assistant into everything it does. Beginning with Pixel phones in 2016, then smart home gadgets and chat apps, and now on TVs and even iPhones, Google Assistant is everywhere. It might even buy you a movie ticket.
Microsoft HoloLens (2016)
Microsoft shocked the tech world with the surprise reveal of its mixed reality Microsoft HoloLens headset in 2016, creating a new augmented computing form factor that opened up a host of new possibilities. HoloLens has been marketed primarily at enterprises for everything from industrial design to assisted surgery, but its applications are endless. The vastly improved HoloLens 2 made even more strides as we inch closer to seeing the powerful devices all around us...assuming we eventually get a cheaper consumer version.
Pokemon Go (2016)
Pokemon Go took over the world for a summer. The geospatial augmented reality game showed the potential of smartphone-based AR, and still enjoys a large user base of dedicated Pokemon trainers. Yet the real-world impact remains the most fascinating part of the craze. Thousands of people wandered around outside catching Pokemon, living in a superimposed world on top of our own.
AMD Ryzen (2017)
We like chips here at PCMag. AMD's Ryzen line of flagship desktop processors brought highly multithreaded performance into the mainstream for the first time, at a low price that's only gotten cheaper as the manufacturer has set the market for high-performance chips.
Fortnite (2017)
Fortnite is a phenomenon. The multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game is the most popular game in the US and has spawned a new generation of gamers skydiving into matches and learning a whole lot of new dance moves. By the numbers, there's really no other modern game like it. And it's apparently a good way for teenagers to earn some money for college (and some beachfront property).
Nintendo Switch (2017)
Nintendo has reclaimed its place atop the throne. The Nintendo Switch is the best new system of the decade, one of the most versatile, portable gaming experiences ever, and an absolute joy to play in all scenarios. Boasting a killer slate of games from Mario to Zelda, and plenty of ways to augment your experience like the Nintendo Labo VR Kit, the Switch is an unparalleled achievement of the decade in gaming console innovation.
TikTok (2017)
No one ever expects the next viral social app. When Chinese tech company Bytedance absorbed lip-sync app Musical.ly into TikTok, little did we know that it would become a cultural sensation among teens becoming so popular that the US government would launch a security investigation. TikTok's algorithmic feed could represent a new black hole interface of social engagement, learning what you like to see and serving you video after video to infinity.
Xbox Adaptive Controller (2018)
Microsoft took a leap forward for tech accessibility last year with the Xbox Adaptive Controller. The adjustable interface is designed for players with disabilities, sporting two large buttons that can be reprogrammed to act as any of the standard Xbox controller's button inputs. It's also got 19 ports and jacks on the back and sides of the device that can connect to a range of joysticks, buttons, and switches corresponding to specific Xbox controller buttons.
The New Age of Video Streaming (2019)
While video streaming isn't a new innovation, the end of this decade saw a paradigm shift in how we consume media. Netflix became the entrenched leader atop a new hierarchy of entertainment giants spanning both tech companies and entertainment conglomerates, all launching their own apps and services to gain a foothold in the market. This November's launches of Apple TV+ and Disney+ are only the beginning; Peacock, HBO Max, and others wait in the wings for 2020.
The Biggest Tech Product Flops of the 2010s
They can't all be winners. The last decade introduced a wealth of game-changing technology to our lives. But along with it came some true disasters. Revel in the fails.