Predictions for 2017

2016 is now over and the new year has begun. It’s a great time to reflect on the past and also make predictions for the future. Technology, world events and software engineering tend to affect me the most these days. Why not take a fun guess at what 2017 has in store.

Predictions

  1. Apple
    Apple will not refresh any new laptops this year to Kaby Lake. The new OS will introduce more iOS features that tie in very well with the Touch Bar. The new OS will likely introduce something that will only work with the Touch Bar. They will speak about how well the new laptops have sold. They will also be introducing a new watch version that is a medically approved device and can be prescribed by a doctor. This, not fitness tracking, will be the first large scale reason for wearables. 5 years out, wearables as electronic tracking will be common place and the Apple Watch will be seen as the original device that broke open the market. Apple will release an iPhone with a touch bar in place of a home button. May seem like a stretch but they have shown they can make glass touch-s IDso a nice touch bar area at the bottom makes sense to me.
  2. Microsoft
    Microsoft is in a very precarious position as the “rebound” device maker of laptops and OSs while some ‘Pro’ users move away from the Mac. They will be refreshing there Surface line and releasing the Creators update as well as their AR device. With luck, they will see a resurgence of users without much complaints. However, I feel that in 2017 Microsoft will be doing something that sets them on a new path. I believe that they will be utilizing Linux containers for applications with big partners like Caniconical and Docker. My belief is that we will see a new App Store that can run Linux applications from the Ubuntu Bash as well as seeing a future of Android applications on Windows. It won’t be ready in 2017, but I feel Windows need to have a container strategy and using Ubuntu was done with the direct solution of using they’re container processes.