Cloud applications are beginning to emerge and increase in popularity. Apple has released their own cloud application with the launch of iOS5, which allows users to transfer files between different devices, as long as their connected. Cloud has also emerged into the gaming industry, initially allowing users to store saves. There are now applications that allow users to stream the game/program directly to their computer. This means that hard drive space will be spaced thus larger hard drives won’t be needed.
http://www.onlive.co.uk/
Online is the main contender in the cloud gaming area. Which are most commonly seen on Youtube adverts on ‘Gaming’ videos. This is an example of target advertising.
http://kotaku.com/onlive/
Kotaku reviewed onlive, showing that capabilities of it. The article shows the onlive idea in a good light. Whereas reactions to the adverts on Youtube are fairly negative.
Cloud applications appear to be the new thing for 2012 and we should see an increase in programs and applications using cloud. This in theory will advance with the increase in wifi connections in areas.
How are mobile OS platforms expected to change?
Mobile device developers are beginning to move towards using HTML5, rather than using Flash because of the stability across devices. When iOS5 was launched Apple chose not to support Flash. Eventually devices will switch over to HTML5.
With the launch of the Windows phone, there will be an increase in the sale of that, it is also one of the main contenders in mobile OS area, the others being Android and iOS.
Apple's iOS mainly increases in sales when there are holidays and or sales which decreases the price. Whereas Android has a more stable rate of sales
How is interactivity changing the way producers and consumers relate to each other?
With the increase in online connectivity. Consumers can communicate with developers, and vice versa. As a result of this products can have a more community based outcome, for example, Treyarch took a lot of feedback and ideas from the Call Of Duty community. This in-turn promoted them and improved their relationship with the community. More and more games are now being influenced by the community. A large part of this is done via Twitter and Facebook, two of the largest and most popular social networking websites.
How are mobile technologies changing the face of the market?
More and more mobile devices are becoming touch screens, this is because it is the quickest method of interface. It is more impressive to users/customers, because of the high number of devices using touch screen technology it is quickly becoming the norm. to have a touch screen device, most mobile phones are touch screens now.
After now owning an Android device (Samsung Galaxy S II, to be exact) for awhile now, I can safely see why there is a huge market in such devices. Before my recent phone upgrade I had the same phone for about 2 years. The change in technology was amazing. The advancements made in mobile technology has become great, clearer and nicer screens. Faster and better processors. All that nice stuff! The reason there is a huge market for these devices is mainly because of the price or functionality.
To confirm what I mentioned earlier. Touch screens are defiantly without a doubt popular, they are not becoming popular anymore, they are the norm. Even my mother has a touch screen phone and a Kindle. I've even caught my father looking at my old phone (Touch screen also) and he is over 50 and doesn't know how to use a PC very well, to put things into perspective.
In 2012 it is predicted that Google plus will increase in users and become more popular, because it is Google, they will have more influence. Google plus is Google's take on social networking, a major feature of Google plus being the personalized search results, for example if you searched for food, results that your friends liked would appear. Consider the size of Google and how many users it has, this feature would be massive, and would definitely have an impact on the way people would use Google.
With that said, YouTube is also changing, updating its channel layout for users and a few tweaks. Last year YouTube experimented with HTML5 and the live stream/show ability for partnered users/channels. The general opinion of an avid internet surfer; It seems like its adding new features, as any site does and simply updating it a bit.
Although even a simply layout update can cause a reaction from a community. For example every time YouTube has a layout update there is always a mob of angry keyboard warriors upset and confused by the change.
Facebook seems to be staying the same, or well... not making any huge changes, none that I have noticed anyway. The timeline feature was released, people also gathered torches and pitch forks at the sight of a new layout.
I can't comment on Twitter or Tumblr, although I have an account on both, and I do check them, I don't care enough about the sites to follow their progress. Twitter I simply use to read funny facts or to read, if I'm that bored. Tumblr, simply to look at pictures for a quick laugh.
