Bring on 2022

Happy New Year! There are at least eight reasons to be optimistic about 2022. But first… Today’s top tech news: Big Tech had a $2.5 trillion [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Happy New Year! There are at least eight reasons to be optimistic about 2022. But first… Today’s top tech news: - Big Tech had a [$2.5 trillion year]( - CES will [end a day early]( as Covid concerns mount - Tesla surpassed [delivery records]( in the fourth quarter Tech for the new year With another pandemic year in the books, we’re looking forward to better things ahead—whether it’s an end to supply chain woes or the release of new gaming consoles. Here’s what Bloomberg tech staffers are excited about in 2022: And end to chip shortages Like many people in 2021, I had to get used to not getting stuff when I wanted. Chip shortages made the wait for even basic items like docking stations, USB hubs and monitors seem interminable. And the prices have gone through the roof. If we're lucky, some of the mad rush to expand production by the chip industry might result in better supply towards the end of 2022. —Ian King More competition, better tech The year 2022 should be much stronger for Apple Inc. in terms of new products. Of course I’m looking forward to the iPhone 14 with a hole punch camera instead of a notch, upgraded AirPods Pro earbuds, and a revamped Apple Watch lineup. But I think the most exciting thing to watch in tech this year will be a hotter-than-ever rivalry between Apple and Meta Platforms Inc. when it comes to augmented and virtual reality, smart speakers and smartwatches. —Mark Gurman Elevated gaming hardware There are a lot of impressive-looking video games planned for next year (including the sequel to 2017's transcendent The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) but I'm particularly excited for a new piece of hardware: the [Steam Deck](. It's basically a Switch for your Steam games, allowing you to play them on the go. And it seems like it'll be a must-have for those of us who try to balance our gaming time with raising toddlers. —Jason Schreier Better video calls So, it looks like video calls aren't going away anytime soon. I would love some variety in the format. Google has teased an innovative twist: videoconferencing with crisp, life-like 3D imaging. From [early]( [demos](, the ability to look someone in the eyes is itself enough of a reason for upgrading. The feature, called Starline, is rolling out [next year](. Although to try it, Google informs me, I will probably have to visit one its business partners inside an office. —Mark Bergen Accessible Covid tests Something I’m looking forward to: Cheap, widely available Covid diagnostic tests (or, one can hope, a future in which we don’t need them). It was heartening to see some tech startups spin up quickly to meet Covid-testing needs in 2020, but now that the disease seems endemic, I’m hoping that some of tech’s smartest operational minds can make meaningful improvements for health and widespread testing. —Ellen Huet The menus of the future An unlikely winner of the pandemic is the QR code. I'm looking forward to more restaurant and shop owners finding out there’s something nearly as simple and cheap that works a lot better. Near-field communication lets people pull up a menu by tapping their phones against a table or doorframe without fumbling with their camera app. The chips cost less than $1 and can be reprogrammed without needing to print a new set of stickers or signage. —Mark Milian Wearables get good Our Apple Watches and Fitbits can already do a whole lot, from tracking steps to monitoring [for signs of Covid](. But this year, personal health tech is finally poised to go from neat gadgets to indispensable tools. Apple is reportedly exploring adding temperature- and posture-monitoring features to [AirPods](. The Oura ring, with its tiny sensors for heart rate, temperature and blood oxygen, inked partnerships with pro sports leagues including the National Basketball Association to help monitor athletes during the pandemic. And Google's Nest Hub uses radar to track sleep without wearing any device at all. —Kristen V. Brown The dawn of the hybrid office I loved seeing my co-workers again last year after long months of pandemic lockdowns, but I was also happy to spend a few days a week working from my kitchen. In 2021, offices were supposed to make a comeback; instead, omicron [made a mockery]( of return-to-work deadlines. In 2022, I’m looking forward to a new era of flexibility where meetings can happen anywhere—at a coffee shop, a conference room or, hey, maybe the [metaverse](. —Anne VanderMey If you read one thing Twitter on Sunday said it permanently banned the personal account of Republican Representative [Marjorie Taylor Greene]( for Covid-19 misinformation.  Here’s what you need to know Canadian regulators reprimanded crypto trading platform Binance for telling users that it was allowed to continue operations in Canada when it [still lacks a registration]( to do so.  Mexico’s central bank plans to launch a [digital currency]( by 2024. Apple is set to step up product [launches in 2022](, after a modest 2021. Here are the best video games we [played last year](. Follow Us More from Bloomberg Dig gadgets or video games? [Sign up for Power On]( to get Apple scoops, consumer tech news and more in your inbox on Sundays. 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