Idlewords has a better talk on a similar theme, using planes as an example: http://idlewords.com/talks/web_design_first_100_years.htm

Engineers alive in the fast rise period assume this fast improvement goes on for ever. But it doesn't. Once a technology gets good enough the innovation shifts to lowering costs, not improving the product.

Do check out the link above, it's one of the most thought provoking tech pieces I've ever read.