2010 expects us with a huge number of revolutionary developments, some of them I’ll try to cover.
Cars of the future
The concept of a future car is changing much faster than before. New engine technologies (hybrid or electric), new designs / materials, new car types (e.g. X1, X6 etc) and muuch more intelligent (security systems, entertainment and assistance).
I don’t think that we will suddenly see all those new things in all the segments, but first really nice examples will be available for trying out. BMW showed with their GINA concept (see video) that there is so much more room for innovations than just the typical evolution “a little bigger, a little faster, a little less consumption”.
3D ready
3D movies are coming, but why now (?). IMAX exists since more than 30 years ! Answer is simple: the content was missing. Next year, media and consumer electronics companies will push the 3D topic as much as they can. Will we buy again a new TV ? Not next year. But you can be sure, that many cinemas will upgrade their systems to be able to show off the newest 3D movies such as Avatar. Although with the World Cup they may have a chance to use it as an advertising feature.
3D is the new HD! Everything will be 3D, TV sets, Digicams, screens in general.. I see it already coming the label “3D ready”. At the same time, we will see old movies and blockbusters getting a 3D remake – I bet to see a 3D Homer as well.
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loud computing
History is repeating, but this time the technology is much further (internet is faster, mobile, cheaper and hardware is more mobile). Google will declare 2010 as start of a cloud computing era. Applications are running online and we just see the output on our web browser screens. Google is not completely alone, even Microsoft recognized the trend and will offer an online version of Office 2010.
I am not buying the complete move towards online trend at all (Network Computer or the Google Chrome OS hype). What will work is some else: a hybrid model of desktop software with some useful online sharing and collaboration tools (such as Office 2010). Another interesting concept would be interesting for mobile devices, where calculation intensive operations are performed in the “cloud” and the interface is client-based.
Tablet computer
Apple will show us next year that we need a Tablet computer. It is slim, nice looking and expensive. Probably with an adapted OSX and an own App-Store. I think if it comes, it will be a bomb. Following picture:
For productivity at home and in the office you use a desktop device or a laptop. For mobile needs, you have a smartphone. And if you want to relax at home or while travelling (hotel, train, beach), to read a book (!), newspaper, any websites, play a game, watch a movie, check some information etc – you use a tablet computer.
You can imagine, that first Apple will show one, then with a certain delay an asian company such as Acer, then Dell and finally HP. Everything with Windows 7 (a very nice OS, but the number of adapted apps will be crucial).
What else…
Crisis will strike again where the first subsidies finish, only starting the second half of the year there is hope for a real re bounce
Facebook will get a place at the NASDAQ
Google will buy Twitter, enter the voice, netbook and OS business and get its first big anti-trust case
Microsoft’s Bing will merge with Yahoo and reach the 20% wordwide share
Apple will introduce a refreshed iPhone with 64 GB, more sensors and make life harder for the jailbreak friends
VCs will finally get their pay-off through major exits; FB and iPhone apps projects will dominate the funding rankings
Chinese industry will continue growing at 13%, despite the massive US debt US$ will reach parity with the EUR, oil will get over 100 US$ again and gold will slowly touch 1500 US$ levels
2010 we are coming!! 🙂