It’s one of the most memorable sequences in the entire Back to the Future trilogy. Marty McFly travels from 1985 to 2015 in Doc Brown’s DeLorean time machine and immediately discovers a whole new world of dazzling technology.

Sadly, the rejuvenating face masks, auto-drying jackets and flying cars predicted to become a part of everyday life have yet to become a reality. But on the exact day that Michael J. Fox’s iconic character touched down in 21st Century Hill Valley, here’s a look at eleven crystal ball moments that the film did get spot on.

1. Hoverboards


It’s the one item that every kid who’s watched Back to the Future II has since dreamed of owning, and although you’re unlikely to see one on the streets any time soon, the hoverboard does now exist.



Japanese car giants Lexus and a Californian company funded by Kickstarter have both recently unveiled prototypes for a rideable anti-gravity board, with the latter expected to present the first 11 purchases today.

2. Video conferencing

From Skype to Facetime – video chat services are now part of everyday life.

But back in the late 80s they were the stuff of fantasy, and in the case of the poor future Marty, who gets fired via one in the comfort of his own home, the stuff of nightmares.

3. Drones

Drone-like devices are seen twice in the film, firstly when a USA Today gadget takes a photo of Griff and his gang following their arrest, and secondly with one that walks a dog.

They might not be used for the latter that much, but drones have since become prevalent in photojournalism, with the likes of Amazon, Google and DHL also using them for various purposes.

4. Hands-free gaming

In the Café 80s scene, a young Elijah Wood mocks Marty for using his hands to play an arcade game.

Although viewers don’t get to see the evidence, it’s implied that motion sensor gaming, similar to the Xbox 360 Kinect, has become all the rage.

5. 3D

3D may have been around since the early 20th Century but had become virtually obsolete when Back to the Future II hit screens in 1989.

There might not have been another Jaws sequel, let alone another 15, but with the advent of 3D televisions and the revival of 3D cinema, one of the film’s most famous scenes undoubtedly foreshadowed the current three-dimensional boom.

6. Flat screen TVs

TV sets used to be massive bulky things that would take up half the room, but director Robert Zemeckis cleverly predicted that wall-mounted flat screens would soon become the norm.

7. Video goggles

Sitting on the living room sofa is still the most common way of enjoying a TV dinner.

But with the introduction of Google Glass and the recently unveiled Microsoft HoloLens, Marty Junior’s ‘video goggles at the kitchen table’ method is no longer seen as far-fetched.

8. Self-tying shoes

Admittedly, Nike only began developing the idea as a tribute to the film, but still, self-tying shoes will no doubt become a must-have item when they eventually hit the shelves.



Tinker Hatfield, the man who designed Marty’s Nike MAG originals, confirmed back in January that the company intend to release their ‘power laces’ by the end of this year.

9. Biometric technology

Marty and Jennifer can both be seen using iris and thumbprint identification devices at their home.

This kind of technology has become a regular feature on smartphones and is also commonplace in high-security facilities such as banks and immigration inspection points.

10. Tablet computers

Decades before the launch of the iPad, BTTF predicted the age of handheld tablet computers with a small device that Marty is asked to sign in order to help save the clock tower.

11. Miami baseball team

Away from technology, the film imagines the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series against Miami, Florida.

The Sunshine state didn’t have a Major League Baseball team at the time, but now has two, with the Miami Marlins forming in 1993 and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays five years later.

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