I don't really know how SMTs are going to play out but, the more successful iterations that run along the Steem blockchain, the more value the blockchain holds and therefore Steem has. Essentially, it is in all of our best interests to have these magical things not only work but, work very well.
However, with the capabilities they have, it is likely that a great number of attempts are going to fail as they just don't satisfy the needs of a user base adequately or don't have a compelling enough draw for users. I assume there are also going to be a fair percentage of people looking to cash in on an idea and gimmicks rather than the implementation in a repeat of the dotcom bubble, as this happens with most coins already. But some...
I likened the Steem blockchain to the internet and individual SMTs like business websites upon it yesterday, and just like all of the ridiculous things that got supported at the end of the 90s and those that survived, there will be some SMTs that could make massive impressions on the market place and potentially be market leaders or, the value movers of market leaders. People might currently limit Steem to more social aspects however with the Internet of Things, it is possible that they will be applied in some unique ways we are yet to think of.
This is the thing with technology, it is constantly changing and it is hard to predict what will arrive tomorrow that could combine with Steem to supercharge it or, kill it. There is risk in all of this and this is especially true for those who hold Steem or any crypto for that matter as an alternate solution or killing of a need can destroy the entire project. This is the position of venture capitalists isn't it? Investing into uncertainty and Steem Power is most definitely an investment.
I think many people still see that Steem Power is just an investment that gives access to the Steem pool but forget that the SMTs are going to provide a new range of earning potentials and possibly, access to other pools and coins if SMTs choose to empower them or, airdrop to them. On top of this of course, there is the value added to Steem by successful SMTs.
Successful SMTs also bring a stabilizing factor to Steem and the more there are and the more diverse their use case the more anchor points Steem has to protect against drift. There is obviously going to be huge fluctuations in the short term, but the longer the cryptosphere is operating and the more money that pours in, the less it will spike.
SMT's give Steem an opportunity to sink its hooks into multiple areas and potentially industries almost invisibly as in time, SMTs will drift away from needing Steem to be their support and instead it will be a footnote, just like powered by appears at the bottom of websites. Along this path, there will be Steem Power holders working in various ways to support the processes that will lead to successful implementations.
One thing with Steem and the way it works is that there need not be any silent investors, everyone has some voice and some effect even though it might not seem like a great deal now. Having some Steem power may mean that in the future of SMTs, there will be the possibility to get in on the ground floor of some great projects and, it might not actually cost anything if it comes in the form of an airdrop. That is a pretty decent reason to Hold some SP I think.
At the moment, there is a lot of speculation as to just what will be achievable through SMTs but I see this as a great thing as it means that a great deal of ideas get flung about and even though many are not likely to be possible or come close to fruition, they can serve the purpose of idea catalysts as well as hype builders to increase interest.
Out of all the ones that do get started, it really only takes one to get it right to showcase the possibilities to all the potentials. That one might encourage and spawn a host of other SMTs who use a similar model to shift value along their own platforms and business models.
For now, I am personally less interested in the tech behind it and more interested in the use cases that may be possible. Yes, the tech will affect this but if there is a large enough pool of potential ideas, no matter what the tech is capable of there will be some versions that can be adjusted to suit. This way, SMTs can get a running start . This area is also more interesting to me since I am not much of a tech based thinker. Bit by bit though I will increase my understanding to narrow the view.
I think though that if you don't mind taking on a little (read lot) uncertainty ina dynamic industry with incredible potential, holding Steem Power is still the smart investment.
How do you think SMTs will pan out for Steem?
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]