The Juniper Top 10 Predictions for 2018

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Future crystalAnalyst Juniper Research reads the bones and reveals what it believes are the top 10 tech predictions for 2018-- with predictions covering topics as varied as social payments, facial recognition and the bidding for sporting event streaming rights...

  1. Amazon and Facebook Lead OTT Bids for Major Sporting Rights: The two biggest names in social media and online retail are set to square off against broadcasters in the battle for sporting event streaming rights. Rumours recently suggested Amazon and Facebook are bidding for Premier League streaming rights, something Juniper says can be a "game changer" in the video on demand world.
  2. Apple, Facebook and Google Bring Social Payments to the Masses: The trust of customers in social media and messaging payment services is on the rise, and launches from tech's Big Three should accelerate adoption in 2018. Juniper predicts mobile P2P transactions will reach 90 billion in 2018, with a value of around $590 billion.
  3. AI and Blockchain to Power Numerous Fintech and Insurance Solutions: Blockchain-- a digital public ledger of digital currency such as bitcoin-- will find use beyond traditional banking applications, moving into areas such as money transfers and digital ID verification.
  4. Edge Computing to Fast Track the IoT: Edge computing-- a method of optimising cloud computing systems by performing data processing at the edge of the network-- will boost the presence of the Internet of Things (IoT) in all avenues of technology.
  5. Facial Recognition Applications Surge: Expect facial recognition to find use in all manner of marketing campaigns, enabling brands to provide recommendations to shoppers. Juniper also expects the technology to enable invisible payments, such as those used in Amazon Go, to reduce the level of in-store friction.
  6. The Rise of Robo-Advisers and App-Based Investments: Millennials will be more likely to participate in fintech in 2018, through the combination of smartphone apps and digital-only challenger banks.
  7. Machine Learning Coming to Verify Your Identity: The use of machine learning in user identification will advance in 2018, especially in UK, as changing regulation hastens adoption.
  8. Chinese Cards and Wallets Achieve Scale in Western Markets: High spend from the tourist trade is motivating Chinese payment service to partner with retailers, point-of-sale and transfer providers, both in Europe and the US.
  9. Smart Toys Educating the Masses: Major products from the likes of Lego and Anki should bring technologically advanced toys to the mainstream.
  10. Wireless Charging Market Moves Up a Gear: Apple's adoption of Qi in the iPhone 8 and X was surely a boost over the competition to the wireless charging standard. Currently the AirFuel Alliance solution is more popular in larger devices, but it might not be the case for very long.

Further details on the Juniper predictions can be found in the whitepaper in the link below.

Go Juniper Research's Top 10 Tech Trends for 2018