We Ask, You Answer: Web-App Predictions for 2008

Jeff Anop says on January 28th, 2008 at 9:50 am

2008 will offer companies an opportunity to create something that simplifies and creates collected value for all of the laser-focused online applications that currently exist. Many users are bombarded with the many Web 2.0 apps that can make our lives easier and more productive. However, as the numbers of these applications mount, the ability to manage and derive value from them decreases.

A company, maybe Google, will come along and try to simplify how users interact with these many applications. Creating easy to understand and use packages of online applications will lead to higher adoption and retention rates.

Just make it simple baby! The demand is there. Kind of sounds like what is happening in the mobile space…

Jeff says on January 28th, 2008 at 10:02 am

I would have to agree with Jeff (the other one). I use many web apps but would like to see them work together more. Google has done some of this, but I think their still is great strides to be made. Interaction between programs would be my hope for 08.

David Engel says on January 28th, 2008 at 11:12 am

Integrated applications – like Google, or Zoho for a different name – are fantastic, but I question whether or not they approach the level of “killer” apps.

If email is the model of a killer app, where everyone is affected, not just the cutting-edge users or “geeks,” then I don’t think there is an online application which has enough momentum to become a killer app this year.

clayton says on January 28th, 2008 at 12:29 pm

in 2008 skynet (web application virus utilizing google) will launch and based on its advanced web application artificial intelligence crawl every piece of internet knowledge
and compile an even better web app 3.0 that will hail itself king of the internet

3.5 years after its creation skynet will nuke (D.0.S) every protocol in order for it to build an even better web app with complete control over all machines

Claudio Criscione says on January 28th, 2008 at 3:09 pm

I think Jeff is on the right track: the next big thing could be not an application delivering value by itself, but something able to improve the usefulness of the other apps. What about a web2.0 intelligent search engine? something you can ask “I’m giving a party next week, any idea?” and will return you with a couple (or a dozen) of web 2.0 apps to help you with your party. Well, maybe it won’t be so useful for parties, but think about “I need to give a talk” or “I have to monitor my network” and so far so on :)

Matt Griffith says on January 28th, 2008 at 5:05 pm

I was simply going to wish that Google offered a better selection of themes, but I checked first, AND THERE THEY ARE – almost 50 of them. Now, if only they would do something about all those rectangles on my iGoogle.

Seriously, instead of a killer app, I’d like to see vast improvements in the user interface for all my GTD props, including aesthetics; preferably under one umbrella so I can actually spend less time getting things done.

Nanci Houlgate says on January 28th, 2008 at 5:25 pm

Web App bridge with Desktop App solutions.
http://labs.mozilla.com/2007/10/prism/

As a project manager, it would be nice for my MS Project app to play nice with those web apps. So far there really is no solution for a project tracking program that can effectively collaborate on my PC to Web. I think these type of programs will really take off in 2008.

Shaun says on January 28th, 2008 at 6:52 pm

YES! Give me an online version of Project that’s free, allows for online collaboration, and is actually useful!

Gadget Badger says on January 29th, 2008 at 5:09 am

I think there needs to be a better synergy of web and desktop. Firefox is great, but web browsers now need to become more like an OS layer for the web. I know that’s not a web 2.0 app per se, but it’s the missing link. Desktop widget’s try to do this, but are too limiting.

Borja says on January 29th, 2008 at 1:02 pm

I think that there is going to appear some serious attempts to bring Ajax-like technologies to mobile phones and other devices. May be in the form of a framework responsible for adapting the content. It will work only with a subset of mobile devices.

Ben Overmyer says on January 29th, 2008 at 4:31 pm

The real “killer app” of 2008 will further blur the line between cyberspace and realspace.

Ideally, it’d be a way to watch TV on the web without having to worry about owning a TV or paying a monopolistic cable company insane prices for fifty channels.

Chris Whiteoak says on January 29th, 2008 at 6:57 pm

I think 2008 could be the year web based operating systems become a hit!! we have so many software programs that are now available in web form, from maps, word processors, power point, file saving, image editing etc.
You could make really really cheap and affordable computers and laptops by making the operating system the internet!

Maria says on January 30th, 2008 at 2:15 am

I think the next killer ap for the web is automatic summarisation. We are all suffering from information overload! I think I have the only computer-generated blog in the world – it “summarises” the content from over 1600 other blogs and I get almost 5000 unique hits per day now. There is not a lot of major intelligence in there yet, but I’m working on it for this & other domains.

Eden says on January 30th, 2008 at 11:30 pm

I think that 2008 will be the year of the online money management applications. Mint, Quicken online, Pearbudget, Wesabe, Yodlee…they’re all either being beta tested or still working out the bugs and there is no clear winner at this point. I think that within the next year a clear forerunner will emerge and we will all benefit :)