In 2018, Orion saw widespread adoption of voice-powered, push-to-talk devices across enterprise companies. The company added significant features to the Orion Connected Voice Platform including Orion Pro, the Orion Push to Talk app, and numerous Voice AI Bots. Now more than ever, voice technology is becoming a tool for the future of business, allowing for streamlined communication and collaboration among teams.

Looking to the year ahead, we see four trends emerging in the voice technology and public safety markets in 2019:

Trend #1: Public Safety Delivering on Tomorrow’s Promise Today

The growing public safety ecosystem will further open the marketplace and drive innovation by new entrants, allowing for faster time to market. AT&T’s commitment to the availability and growth of FirstNet is here and will continue to evolve in the coming year. Orion expects to participate in this through our FirstNet Certified™ app and other key public safety initiatives.

Trend #2: Voice as the New Interface in Enterprise

Markets will continue to shift to voice as the new interface – rapid evolution of voice services for consumers and businesses. We’ll increasingly see organizations move away from legacy radio and dispatch systems to real-time mobile solutions that are durable, light-weight, and always connected. Orion has a head start in developing voice services on its platform and provides solutions for enterprises and public safety groups, including those migrating from legacy radio systems.

Trend #3: Voice Technology Connecting the Workforce Safely in Real Time

Digital transformation in the workplace will drive new opportunities for team voice communication. It will redefine what it means to be a connected worker. The concept of 24/7 connectivity will scale far beyond a VPN and email account to a voice-connected offering that brings global teams together — regardless of their native language or geographic locale. Orion’s technology removes barriers by providing users with unlimited range.

Trend #4: Advancements in AI and Emotion Detection

Continued advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) supporting the detection of emotion, tone, and stress will bring an increase of real-time emotion-aware devices to the marketplace. By observing changes in a user’s speech and tone, the advancements will allow Orion Voice AI Bots to learn speech patterns, detect emotional stress, and initiate workflows.

If you’re interested in learning more about how AI will blend with voice technology, read: Orion at IBM Think 2019: Take Watson with You

What trends do you expect to see? Share your thoughts by tagging @OrionLabs on Twitter!