IT Trends for 2009
It’s always in the first few weeks of the New Year that everyone starts to predict the coming 12 months and what they see as the emerging markets or trends. Well I don’t like to disappoint so here is my list of what I believe to be the big areas for expansion in 2009…
Cloud Computing & SaaS
This is one area I think will take off in 2009. We started to see Cloud Computing grow in 2008, although not as big as expected, but with the current global financial crisis and a lot of businesses trying to cut back on costs, I can see this as a massive market for the next few years.
Increase in mobile accessibility & connectivity / integration
The iPhone has redefined how users access the web through their mobile phones. It is fundamental now that websites provide a visual and functional experience that is as close to browsing on a PC as possible. I think 2009 will be the year that companies and eMarketing start to really drive their services for mobile users with the goal as making the mobile Internet experience sticky and revenue-generating; one that appeals to a mass consumer audience.
The global recession bites harder
This will have an impact for all of 2009 I believe. I think we’re already in too much of a slump to be able to recover in 12 months, so I’m planning for at least another 18 months of struggling markets.
One main area I think will help drive the recovery of the global market is new technology and how this can help drive down costs while providing quality business and management tools.
Virtualisation
Virtualisation will be a big one for 2009 and could be a tipping point for this as a mainstream technology. The main reason I think virtualisation will gain coverage at the expense of other technologies will be for one reason: cost.
Technologies that require high upfront expenditures but take time to generate ROI will be put on hold, while technologies like virtualisation that promise immediate cost savings will enjoy broader adoption. Virtualisation will also move beyond the server to desktops and storage in 2009, we’re already seeing a lot of new online storage services becoming a more viable means.
Online project / portfolio and document management
This is an area that has been growing exponentially for the past few years – 2009 I think is the year it will become a mainstream business tool and service. Since Basecamp started their online project management service, there have been copycats and similar services all offering packages to enable businesses to effectively run and manage their projects through an online interface.
The features offered are usually very similar, the price varies based on the level of complexity within the service, one thing remains clear – due to the economic issues and the fact that these tools really do work, businesses are utilising these services more and more.
Enhanced energy efficiency across the board
Another area that kicked off in 2008 but will become mainstream and the norm in 2009. Global warming has made people really think about how much energy they use and their carbon footprint. Any way to help the environment is being picked up by consumers and businesses alike – take the new Apple laptop **link** and the green / energy efficient design and functionality as the perfect example.
I think 2009 will see the adoption of “Green Initiatives” to not only help the planet, but help businesses gain more market share with conscious consumers.
Let me know what you think and I’ll also have a review at the end of the year to see how my predictions went!
Thanks,
Tony
