This is my favorite time of the year. There are predictions, predictions, and more predictions. Each expert has their own set of calculations to guess the future trend of something that they specialize in. I will join the bandwagon and present to you, my friend, the software development trends in 2018.

The pressure to keep up with the trends is particularly high during this time of the year. Even big and elite companies around the globe are stressed out (probably more than the small ones). I want to take off the pressure off your shoulders and list down the trends that will truly and really make a difference.

2018 is an exciting year for technology (we hear this every year) but let me make a distinction this year. For an entire year we heard about Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and Big Data. But now gone is the time when these topics are only written about – it’s action time!

So, let’s look at the software development trends in 2018 that will happen.

Demand for IoT professionals will skyrocket

IoT is impacting everything. Your cars, houses, roads, industrial equipment, smartwatch, and even your vacuum cleaner is turning into a data collection device. These devices are collecting enormous amounts of data to derive intelligent and actionable insights.

You need IoT experts to build systems that can help you integrate smart devices, network connectivity, and computer-based systems. You will need professionals who are experts on information management, big data, machine learning and analytics, dashboard and visualizations.

Like as per Hubert Yoshida, Chief Technology Officer, Hitachi, “Building IoT solutions that provide real value can be difficult without the right underlying architecture and a deep understanding of the business to properly simulate and digitalize operational entities and processes”.

Cybersecurity to get more sophisticated

Since 2017 was a year of data breaches so naturally 2018 will a year that hackers will get more sophisticated. Yes, to everybody’s horror they will use machine learning and artificial intelligence to launch even more serious and dangerous attacks. Even cybersecurity solutions will use machine learning and cutting-edge security technologies. There will be an increased demand for managed and hosted security services just like there will be an increase in incident response and adoption of automated processes to detect threats.

Emergence of Blockchain

We have already heard a lot about Blockchain already. 2018 is expected to be a year that will mark the year of disruption in terms of business-class blockchain platforms. There will be an increase in the number of apps built for blockchain platforms. Till 2016 there were only 5000 full-time blockchain developers around the globe. In the coming years, the number will increase multi-fold. The blockchain solutions from different sources will acquire the capability to seamlessly communicate and share digital assets with each other.

Artificial Intelligence – indispensable

Microsoft has set up its own internal “university” to train Microsoft staff in the field of artificial intelligence. You don’t have to follow Microsoft. Not yet.

But you can’t ignore AI anymore. Every business in 2018 will need to adapt to AI. Voice-assistants, big data, insight-as-a-service vendors will all be in demand just as AI specialized professionals like data scientists and Chief Data Officers (CDO). Enterprises will start to streamline and automate back-end processes with customer-facing AI capabilities. The enterprises will also explore how combing AI, machine learning and other tools (like the internet of things, augmented and virtual reality and others) to augment front- and back-end capabilities.

Investment on Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality set to soar

Spending on Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality software is set to increase. Even the hardware is to become a $4 billion market by 2018. There are a greater number of applications using the power of AR and VR, and more recently mixed reality (AR and VR made available on PC).

If you want to up your software development game in 2018, it’s not too late. We have experts who have deep insights and experience of working on each of the technologies listed above. Talk to us today.