Predictions 2008

With the Microsoft keynote just gone and receiving mixed reactions and the Macworld 2008 expo just around the corner, I thought I would make some predictions about what I see coming up in 2008. So here are some specifics and some trends that I think we will be seeing in the coming year:

Apple to release a New iPhone.

Apple’s strategy in revenue maximising has been displayed in its iPod range for a number of years now. Products are impressive but are also continually upgraded with extra features on a step by step basis. The iPhone will probably not increase one feature at a time because it is a more significant purchase than an iPod and therefore any upgrade will need to be significant to differentiate itself from the previous model. The extra features the new iPhone may have are listed below:

3G Chip
GPS Chip
Sky TV on O2
More Memory

5 Mega Pixel Camera

Wifi Areas Expanding

Malaga has recently started a town wide wifi network. Will larger towns and cities follow suit and how robust will these networks be? There are a number of security issues concerning the way that the network has been achieved in Malaga but more robust networks may be achievable in the UK, especially is mobile operators embark on a joint scheme. Mobiles that take advantage of making calls over a wifi network are going to increase with the mobile networks having to work hard in order to maintain and generate revenue. There is already a large number of places offering wifi, Starbucks and Wetherspoons to name but two and the penetration residential wifi will continue to expand. A more specific area for the expansion of wifi is on the commute.

A number of trains currently provide their passengers with a wifi offering. Expect the number of these services to increase. This will help raise the uptake of content being viewed on mobile and other wifi capable devices on the move. YouTube on your ipod Touch for example. This could also be a catalyst for more media to be consumed on the move digital like news. The Times current online offering and the BBC’s mobile site are well prepared for this. However, some brands, especially those in the magazine sector have been slow to adapt and could find themselves sliding faster than they had expected, especially in areas such as classified sales.

Blu-ray to beat HD DVD.

Over the last week there has been some significant developments in the battle between Sony and Toshiba. I predict the battle will be finished by the end of the year with Sony being the clear winner. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Blu-ray was then rapidly beaten by an iTunes download service that allowed users to download movies for a limited period of time. This may have to wait until download speeds are fast enough to download movies in a comparable definition to Blu-ray but the convenience of the service will be hard to match by retailers and traditional rental companies.

I hope these three things all come true and I am heralded as the new, modern day and better looking Nostradamus.