If the scaling problem doesn't get solved in a few years bitcoin's future could have serious problems because there is a high possibility that it could be replaced by some other coin that doesn't have this problem. We still have time, but it must be solved asap.
That's right! Because if Bitcoin doesn't address its scalability issues quickly, then other alternative cryptocurrencies might take the lead unfortunately. But, given that Bitcoin's Lightning Network is carefully being developed to reach mainstream adoption, it's unlikely that the original cryptocurrency will stay behind other cryptocurrencies on the market. As you said, we still have time, but once people get back into cryptocurrencies, then it'll be game over for Bitcoin if it remains this way.
High fees and slow transaction speeds are annoying, while other altcoins with a DAG architecture have already solved this problem. If Bitcoin wouldn't have had first mover advantage within the crypto market, then I'm sure that another cryptocurrency would've replaced it by now. But, time will tell us, whenever the Lightning Network or another scalability solution would succeed to make Bitcoin largely adopted by people around the world. It should be in the most decentralized way possible of course, because if it reduces centralization, then why would anyone want to keep using Bitcoin?
All in all, I'm confident that Bitcoin will scale in the future, but we would need to be patient if we want to see good growth in this cryptocurrency.
