Intel looks back at 2011 and forecasts for 2012

As 2011 draws to a close, Intel Corporation, leaders and tech industry futurists,  have taken a look into their high-tech crystal balls to make predictions about what technological trends will likely stand out next year.

“We have come a long way and have reached a very significant point in time,” said Indika De Zoysa, Country Business Manager, Intel EM Ltd.  “This is a time our imagination is only limited by the technology we use.”

From big data to the “gamification” and “screenification” of everything, to security breaches in the cloud, Intel, industry leaders and technologists predict what trends will make headlines in 2012 and imagine the future of technology.

As a driving force behind global technology, Intel Corporation shapes the future today as the world leader in silicon innovation, a technology developer, whilst continually striving to advance the way people work and live through new products and initiatives.

Founded in 1968 to build semiconductor memory products, Intel has grown to become the world’s leader in technology innovation. Apart from innovation, Intel has strongly focused on empowering the next generations by transforming the lives of millions through education. In Sri Lanka, Intel works closely with communities and schools to bring resources and solutions for the advancement of education.

Looking back at the year 2011, Intel proudly establishes a successful year with the rise of the ‘cloud’ when cloud computing and “big data” became big business, the re-invention of the 3-D transistors which represented a fundamental departure from the two-dimensional planar transistor structure that has powered not only all computers, mobile phones and consumer electronics to-date, but also the electronic controls within cars, spacecraft, household appliances, medical devices and thousands of other everyday devices for decades, Ultrabook – a new category of mobile computing with ultra cool features like touch, longer battery life and thinner designs and styles, ultimately delivering the most complete and satisfying computing experience and two emerging economic powers that took the world by surprise when they reshaped the global PC marketplace.

So what else can we expect to see in 2012? Senior executives at Intel predict a growth in the demand for secure computing to increase exponentially in the year to come along with an increase in the demand for more mobile, versatile platforms for internet access that offer richer experiences without compromising on security. Commenting on this Renée James, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Software and Services Group, Intel Corporation stated, “As a top concern to organizations of all sizes and industries, security will be transformed across computing segments and the biggest trend in software for 2012.”

Further speculation indicates that there will be rapid development in content creation, and the availability of tools to produce content and launch it, making content creation less individualistic and more of a collaboration. “The biggest trend for this next year is content creation and brand storytelling designed to be social -- the curation and sharing of stories,” said Becky Brown, Director of Social Media Center of Excellence, Intel Corporation.