10 times James Bond predicted the future with his gadgets

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Like many a spy before and after him, James Bond would be nothing without his gadgets.

In James Bond films, there’s always a moment when the female companion gets captured, sharks appear, and the villain laughs while watching. It’s at that predictable time that a clever gadget saves the day.

Even though these inventions often sound like something from a fantasy story, many of them actually end up being created.

Starting with Goldfinger in 1964, the James Bond films have a surprising track record of foreshadowing future technology. From watches to weapons and cars, the series has consistently featured gadgets that eventually became real-world inventions years down the line.

We’ve created a list showing how James Bond’s gadgets actually predicted future technology. And if you’re interested in buying similar gadgets today, we’ve included links to where you can find them.

Every time James Bond predicted the future with gadgets

Smartwatches – The Spy Who Loved Me

The first digital watches appeared around 1970, but in 1977, a watch featured in the James Bond film *The Spy Who Loved Me* took things a step further – it could receive messages! Bond received updates from MI6 printed on a small ticker tape. Though technology has come a long way since then, this watch was an early glimpse of what we now know as the modern smartwatch.

Smartwatches like the Apple Watch and Fitbit can do a lot – they can send and receive messages, track your activity, and even map your location. Maybe James Bond could have avoided some sticky situations if he’d had one!

Shop Smartwatches at Currys

Smart glasses – The World is Not Enough

Bond has always been known for his stylish clothes, and in the 1990s, his glasses actually ended up saving his life on more than one occasion.

In his third movie, *The World is Not Enough*, Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond uses a pair of tortoise shell glasses as a disguise. These glasses are actually rigged with a tiny bomb, which, predictably, goes off later in the film.

While the initial hype around augmented and virtual reality has calmed down, it’s still making a big impact. Last year, Apple launched the Apple Vision Pro headset, bringing AR and VR into everyday use. Meta is also in the game with their AI-powered Meta Ray-Ban glasses, which can respond to your surroundings, capture photos and videos, play audio, and even let you make calls and send messages without needing to use your phone.

Shop Meta Ray-Ban glasses at Ray-Ban

Miniature cameras – Moonraker

Moonraker is packed with impressive technology – from laser guns and safe-cracking tools to hovercrafts and a massive space station. While ambitious, this focus on sci-fi elements and an abundance of gadgets didn’t resonate with many Bond fans, who generally disliked the direction the film took.

Despite any criticisms, the film was surprisingly accurate in its predictions about the future. A standout example is James Bond’s tiny camera, which was cleverly disguised as a pen cap.

Today, tiny cameras are widely used in medical settings, and you can also find very small security cameras designed to be hidden easily around the house. Some nanny cameras are incredibly small – less than 3cm in size.

Shop security cameras and CCTV at Currys

Smartphones with fingerprint scanners – Tomorrow Never Dies

The James Bond film *Tomorrow Never Dies*, released in 1997, famously featured what is considered one of the first smartphones. While it wasn’t a touchscreen device – it was an Ericsson JB988 – it was still impressive to see Bond unlock it using a fingerprint scanner. It was a surprisingly accurate prediction of future technology!

Fingerprint scanners first became widely popular in 2013 with the release of the iPhone 5S, followed shortly by the Samsung Galaxy S5. Apple continued to include fingerprint scanning in its iPhones until the iPhone 8, when it switched to using facial recognition technology instead.

Shop iPhones at Amazon

Sat Navs – Goldfinger

Today, we’re so accustomed to the robotic voices of GPS devices that it’s easy to forget they didn’t exist in 1964. Although the technology for satellite navigation was invented in 1960, it wasn’t ready for cars – that’s where James Bond came in.

In the James Bond film Goldfinger, Bond’s Aston Martin features a map screen that works much like today’s GPS devices. He uses it to follow Goldfinger, and it’s fun to imagine he’s the first person to ever look for nearby secret locations.

Shop Sat Nav deals at Currys

Jet packs – Thunderball

Jet packs were a popular feature in spy and science fiction films long before the 1965 movie *Thunderball*. This meant that when it came time to film, the crew could actually give Sean Connery a working jet pack. They used a Rocket Belt made by Bell Textron, originally designed for the U.S. Army, which could lift a person more than 30 feet in the air.

Okay, so we don’t live in a future with jet packs you can just *buy* yet, but as a movie buff who’s always dreamed of flying, I was so excited to discover you *can* actually experience something pretty close! It’s called flyboarding, and it’s taking the UK by storm. Basically, these aren’t fueled by hydrogen like in the films, they use water jets to lift you up – and I’m talking up to 25 feet in the air! It’s a total thrill.

Underwater Cars – The Spy Who Loved Me

Okay, so everyone remembers Bond and his Aston Martin, right? But for me, the Lotus Esprit from *The Spy Who Loved Me* is just as legendary. I mean, Roger Moore just casually drives it *into the water*! Anya, the girl with him, totally panics, which is understandable, but Bond just… keeps driving! Turns out the car transforms into a submarine! Seriously, it’s amazing. Then, just as cool, he drives it *out* of the water and onto a beach. It’s a classic Bond moment, and that car is unforgettable.

Following this idea, Swiss car designer Frank M. Rinderknecht created his own version in 2008: the sQuba, a Lotus Elise that could effectively ‘fly’ beneath the surface of the water.

You’ll also find amphibious vehicles, often called ‘car boats,’ which are popular for sightseeing tours, like those offered by London Duck Tours.

Shop boat tour gift experiences at Experience Days

Smart Pens – GoldenEye

The character Q, played by Ben Whishaw in Skyfall, makes a playful comment about the classic spy gadget of exploding pens, noting MI6 has moved past them. However, even he would likely be impressed by how much of an effect smartpen technology has had recently.

Pen-based gadgets first gained prominence in the 1983 James Bond film *Never Say Never Again*, which included a pen that functioned as a gun. This idea was revisited in 1995’s *GoldenEye*, where a pen was used as a grenade to destroy a laboratory.

Fortunately, modern smart pens are helpful tools without the downsides of older technology. Today’s pens easily connect to phones and tablets, letting you take notes digitally. Many also include useful features like audio recording and even cameras – great for students in lectures or anyone who needs to quickly capture information.

Shop iPad and tablet accessories at Argos

Remote Controlled Cars – Tomorrow Never Dies

In Pierce Brosnan’s second Bond film, *Tomorrow Never Dies*, there’s a particularly unique chase scene. For most of it, Bond isn’t actually driving – he’s escaping his pursuers from the backseat of a BMW, using the remote control phone we previously discussed.

Considering how quickly cars and smartphones have improved recently, it’s not shocking to see technology that connects the two. Back in 2015, Jaguar Land Rover was already working on an app to control car functions. And with the government investing heavily in self-driving technology, it’s a good idea to stay aware of what your car is doing!

Shop BMW cars at Autotrader

Invisible Cars – Die Another Day

The James Bond films starring Pierce Brosnan were known for featuring exciting cars – the classic Aston Martin DB5 wasn’t enough for the 2000s, apparently. In the 2002 film *Die Another Day*, the filmmakers went over the top, introducing a car that could turn invisible.

During a key scene, Bond uses an Aston Martin Vanquish with an invisibility feature to rescue Jinx (Halle Berry) at an ice palace. Q explains that the car is covered in small cameras that display the outside world on its exterior, creating the illusion of invisibility.

It sounds unbelievable, but Mercedes-Benz actually did this in 2012. They took their electric F-Cell car and added over $263,000 worth of LEDs and a camera. The camera filmed what was on one side of the car, and that image was instantly shown on the other side. This created the illusion that the car was invisible.

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2025-09-26 09:56