Last month I attended a talk given by Research In Motion's
1. Aging population: A world of Floridas
The story of the baby boomers in the U.S. reaching retirement age, and the opportunities and problems associated with that, has been well documented. However, many people are unaware that the average age in many societies around the world and the senior population as a whole, are growing rapidly. For example, the median age in 2000 was 26; by 2050 the median age around the world is expected to be 36. Also, there are currently only roughly 700 million people over the age of 60 around the world. By 2050, that number is expected to nearly triple to two billion people.
As lifespans grow longer and millions more people have long retirements, new models for post-work lifestyles will be needed since many people will have 20+ years of active retirement. Wellness as a lifestyle will become increasingly common as longer healthy living requires some planning and effort. This could be a long-term positive for lifestyle activity companies like Lululemon and a negative for smoking companies like Philip Morris International.
2. Ubiquitous connectivity
Expanding high speed 3G networks from carriers such as Verizon
3. Individuals are becoming empowered as never before
As every user of Amazon.com
4. Values-based interaction
Consumers are increasingly seeking out companies aligned with their social values. For example, many people shy away from Wal-Mart
There aren't easy ways to profit from these trends, but by having them in the back of your mind when choosing where to invest you are already one step ahead of the game. In this second article, I explore the emerging trends Dr. Dvorak sees in Smartphones and how you can profit from them.