In 1989, the world was introduced to the whimsical sequel ‘Back to the Future Part II.' The film starred Michael J. Fox reprising his role as teenager Marty McFly, who travels to the future with Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) to save his future children. The movie, which sank its teeth into the then-distant year of 2015, has given us plenty to think about over the years - especially how accurate the predictions were about what life would be like in the future.

Thirty-two years after the release of the movie, we can now look back and see that many of its predictions about the future came true. In this article, we’ll explore some of the predictions the movie got right.

Hoverboards
One of the most memorable scenes from the film is McFly whizzing around on what we now call a hoverboard. Although the version we have today, known as a “self-balancing scooter,” isn’t quite the same, the hoverboard did become a reality. Companies like Lexus have designed hoverboards that use magnetic levitation to ride on the built-in track, despite their functional limitations.

Video calls
Back to the Future Part II predicted that we would communicate using screens everywhere, including video calling from our phones, watches, and in-car screens. Today, video conferencing has moved from a luxury add-on to integrated into daily work and social life throughout the pandemic, as most people are now working or studying from home.

Auto-adjusting and lacing shoes
Michael J. Fox’s character, Marty McFly, kicks off the second movie wearing the now-iconic Nike sneakers that automatically self-lace. In 2016, Nike released a limited edition self-lacing sneaker called HyperAdapt, and since then, other brands like Puma and Adidas has joined the self-lacing shoe market. Although not yet fully mainstream, the future of shoes that adjust to your foot remains very much alive.

Cashless transactions
Back to the Future 2 predicted that cash transactions would become obsolete. Although not entirely accurate, digital transactions have increased in prevalence over the years. Today, you can buy everything you need using your debit and credit cards, and platforms like Paypal and cryptocurrencies have revolutionized transactions in the financial industry.

Smart home technology
One of the most popular science fiction themes was homes that had artificial intelligence to help you control everything, from internal temperature to microphones that could turn on and off the lights. Nowadays, smart home technology has become a standard component of new homes, with devices like Amazon's Alexa voice assistant, Google Home, and Apple Siri becoming household names.

In conclusion, the 1989 classic Back to the Future Part II may have gotten some things wrong, but the film nevertheless has some predictions that came to fruition with shocking accuracy, such as self-lacing shoes and handless video calls. With all these achievements, it’ll be interesting to see what’s next.