Trend check: Best of our 2018 predictions

Streaming wars (#6)

The competition heats up as streaming services compete with more original content, award-worthy shows and A-list casts—further disrupting traditional broadcasting.

• Disney has spent 2018 working on its new streaming service, Disney+, which is due to launch in 2019, joining the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Videos.
• Netflix’s Roma has received a number of accolades by critics and viewers. Released in October 2018, the Spanish-language movie by director Alfonso Curaron is hotly anticipating an Oscar Best Picture nomination, announcements will be made on 22 January.
• On the topic of awards, the Golden Globe nominations were announced. Amazon and HBO are up for nine nominations, Netflix is up for eight and Hulu falls behind with two.
• Amazon builds out Prime Video services by launching on Comcast’s Xfinity X1, expanding access to Prime Video originals to one million more people.

Femtech revolution (#14)

As movements like #MeToo and Time’s Up gained momentum in 2018, they brought heightened attention to the female experience in a wide range of sectors. The booming femtech industry – which has received almost $1 billion in funding over the past three years – is no exception. The category is driving an honest, open and proudly female-centric dialogue with a host of new devices and platforms designed to improve healthcare for women, by women.

• In May 2018, Modern Fertility released at-home hormone testing kits for $199, a fraction of the cost at clinics. The health startup’s mission is to make fertility testing and information more accessible and affordable.
• Tia is working to create a comprehensive and female-focused healthcare experience. The health startup, which started as a digital platform to address women’s questions relating to sexual health and wellness, announced in 2018 that it would be opening its first brick and mortar clinic, which the brand describes as a “modern medical home for women of all genders.”
• Cordless and discreet wearable breast pumps are revolutionizing life for breastfeeding moms. Willow, which first launched in 2017, unveiled new upgrades at CES 2018, and Elvie launched a quiet and wire-free breast pump in September 2018. As a testament to its versatility, fashion designer Marta Jakubowski sent a model sporting an Elvie pump down the runway during her show at London Fashion Week in September 2018.
• In spring 2018, Fitbit introduced Fitbit Versa, a new wearable designed specifically for female consumers. The Fitbit Versa lets women monitor their menstrual cycle alongside other important health metrics, such as sleep and heart rate, offering a more complete understanding of what’s going on with their bodies.