Revisiting 2007′s Tech Predictions

What I Got Right

  • Nintendo will become #1 in the games industry again in next-gen units, portable units and cash raked in.
    One look at the Wii remote in late 2005, I felt confident making this prediction in 2006, repeated it for 2007, and it came true about half-way through the year when the Wii overtook the Xbox 360, even with the 360 having a full year lead on the market. Nintendo is just printing money these days, and they deserve real rewards, given that they took real risks on the DS and Wii while Sony and Microsoft followed the mantra “Rinse, Repeat.”
  • Blu-ray will officially take the lead over HD-DVD.
    HD-DVD is officially over and the fallout beginning at CES shows just how bad 2007 was for the format. If you’ve got an HD-DVD player, sell it or slap it next to the Betamax.
  • iTV will be released with the greatest killer app: a full hookup to Youtube in partnership with Google.
    Five months later, my dream came true, and my consumption of cat videos has never been higher.
  • A full line of 802.11n compatible Airport devices will be released. Too easy a prediction to really feel smart about. Forget I mentioned this one.

What I Got Wrong

  • Mac OS 10.5 will make heavy use of integrated cameras for fun and security.
    This didn’t pan out. Mac OS 10.5 still has Photobooth and great video fun for iChat, but cam-based security features are nowhere to be found.
  • The killer app for Apple’s phone will be built-in GPS.
    I love the iPhone, but the lack of GPS is a disappointment. Perhaps omitted due to battery issues or development time, I still see a long list of GPS-required scenarios that the iPhone should certainly have. Here’s hoping for inclusion in the future.
  • The Finder will finally be replaced in OS 10.5 with a brand new search-centric app. Good riddance.
    Finder is better, but is hardly a radical change.
  • Steve Jobs will announce his retirement.
    Jobs is still going strong and will likely do so until his last day on his own two feet. The industry is better from having him around, so here’s hoping his lease on life continues to be renewed.

2007 Tech Predictions and 2006 Tech Predictions

Want more? Head to the Archives.