Tow #15: Article: "5 Tech Products That Will Be Dead in 5 Years" by Micah Singleton

Micah Singleton, a writer for Time Magezine, has written many articles about the future of technology in the Tech section of Time. In his latest, "5 Tech Products That Will Be Dead in 5 Years," Singleton claims that several products will quickly be replaced by products and services such as the smartphone and Netflix. The five products he specifically mentions will no longer be used or produced in five years are Blu-ray/DVD players, stand-alone in-car GPS units, Dial-up internet, low-end digital cameras, and physical car keys. Singleton uses statistics and historical examples of technology falling out of the market to explain to a skeptical, older audience that these five products will likely be gone in five years.  For example, to prove that smartphones will replace stand-alone GPS units, Singleton states that over 1.3 billion iPhones and Android smartphones have been sold around the world in about six years. All iPhones and Android smartphones come with GPS, so it has caused the sales of stand-alone GPS units to decrease 15-20% every year. By using statistics, Singleton appeals to logos and uses facts that can be easily verified, therefore strengthening his argument and making it more convincing. Also, the use of these statistics show that Singleton did his research and is credible. Along with using statistics to support his claim, Singleton also uses historical examples. These examples appeal to logos as well, but are likely used to convince an older person that technology products are replaced constantly, therefore the products that are widely used today will not be used at all in five years. Singleton briefly mentions the end of VCR to prove that blu-ray and DVD players will be replaced by something else (Netflix). Older people clearly remember the switch to DVD's from VCR, so they shouldn't be surprised that with new streaming technology on the rise, eventually DVD's will fall. Although many people will be uncomfortable with the changes, there will be changes because if enough people stop buying certain products, it would be foolish to keep making those products for the few people that refuse to change.