Businesses will have to rethink public touch screens as more customers see shared surfaces as an infection risk, no matter how often they’re cleaned.
ATMs, fast-food ordering terminals, displays in rental cars, airline kiosks and the like will get less use. Some people will carry special pens to tap the screens. Many firms will tout frequent cleaning or even offer free screen protectors to each user.
Expect customers to turn to their smartphones when they are able to. That gives many firms an opportunity to push their mobile apps, which figure to be in heavy demand.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Voice commands and gesture recognition will be popular, but their utility is limited. Voice commands may not work in a crowded, noisy environment. Hand gestures can be inaccurate. But voice-activated speakers will win over more consumers who want to touch fewer surfaces in their homes, a boost for the smart-home market.
At the checkout, look for greater adoption of contactless payments, whether by phone or with debit and credit cards that have embedded chips that allow users to pay by simply putting the card close to a payment terminal rather than inserting it. Contactless payments generally take a few seconds and don’t require a signature, reducing the need to touch a payment terminal. The technology behind tapping a card and mobile payment services, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, is interchangeable. If a merchant has a terminal that can accept a contactless card, it can also accept mobile payments.
Biometric fingerprint readers will see a steep decline, since they rely on users making physical contact with a device or screen. That raises huge red flags when there’s an infectious disease that is transmitted on shared surfaces. Even routine deep cleaning won’t be able to convince many people to press shared fingerprint readers.
Contact-free facial and iris detection will see a surge in interest. The techniques are commonly used by law enforcement, border control and at airports. India, which relies heavily on fingerprints for its national identification system, is facing the grim reality of a pandemic. The country has had to curb the technology’s use.
-
These Stocks Dipped in 2025. Do They Have Value?If you are looking to add new long-term positions to your portfolio, as you should, this is the time to examine stocks that the market shuns.
-
Striking Gold (or Gas): A Financial Pro Unpacks the Nuances of Energy InvestingInvesting in the energy industry, particularly oil and gas, involves understanding the facts about how projects generate returns through cash flow and long-term asset building, while also being aware of the risks.
-
Apple Readies for AI Upgrade with New iPhonesThe Kiplinger Letter The tech giant has stumbled when it comes to artificial intelligence, but a new batch of iPhones will help it make headway.
-
Japan Enters a New Era of Risk and ReformThe Kiplinger Letter Japan has entered a pivotal moment in its economic history, undertaking ambitious policy and structural reforms to escape from decades of stagnation.
-
How Consumers Are Tinkering with Cutting-Edge AIThe Kiplinger Letter Companies launching artificial intelligence tools are jostling for consumer attention. Some products are already building a deep connection with users.
-
After Years of Stagnant Growth, Hope Emerges for EU EconomyThe Kiplinger Letter Can a German fiscal push outweigh French political peril?
-
Small Businesses Are Racing to Use AIThe Kiplinger Letter Spurred on by competitive pressures, small businesses are racing to adopt AI. A recent snapshot shows the technology’s day-to-day uses.
-
How AI Puts Company Data at RiskThe Kiplinger Letter Cybersecurity professionals are racing to ward off AI threats while also using AI tools to shore up defenses.
-
AI Start-ups Are Rolling in CashThe Kiplinger Letter Investors are plowing record sums of money into artificial intelligence start-ups. Even as sales grow swiftly, losses are piling up for AI firms.
-
What is AI Worth to the Economy?The Letter Spending on AI is already boosting GDP, but will the massive outlays being poured into the technology deliver faster economic growth in the long run?
