Predictions: The state of the internet – 2020
A colleague challenged me to do some predictions on the state of the Internet in 2020. So, here they are.
1. Invisible Internet and cloud computing.
Users will no longer experience ‘being on the internet’ as a separate activity as most applications will be online anyway. Google’s Chrome OS is a vision of operating systems of the future. Handling digital tasks will be stored online by default. Restoring backups become a thing of the past as virtual servers create live redundancy. Mobile devices connect to the Internet with ease as 1Gbit data speeds are attained at low cost.
2. Social networking and user identity.
Online communities will become to be seen what they really are; tools for people to connect. the hype will subside and a competion will arise between large parties over stewardship of active user accounts, as these accounts are becoming more and more accepted virtual representations of their owners.
3. Households get private networks sorted out.
The current PC in every household will loose its function as an Internet terminal and be turned into the households central server to which other devices around the household connect. Users round the home and workplace will use smart phones and tablet PC’s to access and create their data-rich content and manipulate the environment around them.
4. Mixed reality, metaverse emerges.
Mixed reality (MR) (encompassing both augmented reality and augmented virtuality) refers to the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualisations where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time. A mix of reality, augmented reality, augmented virtuality and virtual reality. (wikipedia)
The attention attracted by the re-emergence of 3D cinema and promise of 3D home television lowers the barrier for acceptance of virtual rich environments. close-eye projection of data on to glasses allows for a non-intrusive augmented reality experience. The immersive qualities of virtual environments will be explored for educational and other training purposes.
5. Microtransactions, trust and value.
People spend more money on the Internet as they learn to trust it as safe for certain product groups. People will start to value certain online service and possessions like their Gmail or Face book account and are willing to pay for them. Virtual goods markets in games are large already. This may extend to other types of virtual goods like a virtual bouquet of flowers as a birthday gift.
Pranav Mistry demonstrates sixth-sense mixed reality
