How will RFID fare in 2008?

2007 is about to say goodbye and we are about to enter 2008 in less than a week and already predictions have started pouring in from various corners with regards to what all one could expect with regards to technological developments in the new year. 2007 saw RFID trickling down to the masses besides making it presence felt stronger among the companies. This year we could expect RFID to perform better and we might witness it achieving a dominant position in our everyday lives besides making its presence felt in sectors related to security, wireless technologies and consumer electronics which will continue to gain from RFID integration.

So next year we could see more of practical RFID applications making their mark in food safety, sporting events etc. 2008 will see RFID getting further popularity due to its association with big events which would really spread the word about this technology and make it a household name. We will be witnessing the biggest implementation of RFID during the Beijing Olympics to be held in China in 2008 where it will be used for tracking marathon runners for accuracy and even Olympics fans will have a brush with technology as they will be able to enter the stadium only if they carry RFID tickets aimed at controlling counterfeiting.

Another area where RFID will make its presence felt is the world of mobile devices and already we have seen Samsung come up with single chip RFID reader for cell phone devices and even Nokia has been working on RFID cell phones which are being touted as the future and are likely to replace plastic money. As a result of this very soon you will be having multi functional cell phones in your hands which will allow you to manage your daily life more effectively. In the time to come we could be witnessing the marriage of RFID and other wireless technologies.

Further we will see RFID being used to track goods in a better manner so that at the end of the day both the manufacturer and the end users don’t suffer. Another area in which RFID is expected to contribute is through addressing of security vulnerabilities in the global supply chain. It will be put to use to enhance security without affecting international trade. The retail sector which is already implementing RFID will continue to show its faith in the technology and we are expected to see them gain further from it as they will be able to enhance their productivity and efficiency.

We would see the technology getting implemented in diverse sectors and one might even see costs plummet which otherwise have been acting as a roadblock towards its faster implementation.

I believe it’s just the beginning for this technology which holds a lot of promise and in the future expect it to soar new heights and become a household name just like barcode technology which too took some time to gain steam but ultimately made its presence felt to the entire world. Hopefully 2008 would turn out to be a fantastic year for RFID minus any controversies. All the best RFID!!!