And what about the public’s response?

We reckon that Windows 9 will have one of the best starts in the history of Windows, in part thanks to the scheduled death of Windows XP and the push on the

Windows Phone. An upgrade from Windows 8.1 to version 8.11 or 8.2 will accompany the release of Windows 9 to align the desktop

to the mobile versions.

Windows 9,free for Lumia and Surface

Windows 9 will be a system that’ll connect Windows Phone and Windows RT in a single product. Their union will mean that we can use the same applications in Surface tablets as we do on Lumia

phones. When? In late 2014 we’ll have our hands on a beta of Windows

9, if not the final version... For free.

The convergence of systems

Seen already with Ubuntu OS, is a taster of what lies ahead: a few systems for a wide range of devices. 2014 will see the

narrowing of the gap between Chrome OS and Android, which, in its version 5.0 will

allow you to run Chrome apps. To do the opposite - run Android apps on Chrome OS - will only be possible

on Chromebooks like the new Pixel.

Here comes the anti-WhatsApp

In 2014 we’ll see the rise of a powerful opponent to WhatsApp. It’s based on

images rather than text, and it’ll have more developed security, including an ingenious system of messages that self-destruct,

Snapchat style. Like WhatsApp, the new app will be free for a while, then there’ll be a small payment

request.

This new application won’t be

promoted through aggressive advertising campaigns, like LINE or WeChat - it will rely on its message going viral, thanks (at the start) to youngsters through an invitation-only system. It’ll be inspired by the phenomena of Snapchat, Ketchup and Bang With Friends. The app’s

handiness for flirting will be a major reason for its

popularity.

The Messaging Wars

In 2014, the rest of the applications will consolidate their user base, but some, like

Skype, will stagnate or transform themselves radically. We expect strong growth in Hangouts

-pushed by Android, Helpouts and Glass - as well as Viber. What about BlackBerry

Messenger? After an initial spike, it was left with just a small share of the market, while it waits for the new BlackBerry

BB10 devices.

Apps for driving

Like all good butlers, your phone will start to drive for you - in some prototypes from Ford and Toyota - as well as transmit

useful data. “That’s science fiction!”, we hear you cry. But there are apps that talk to your car, like Fuse, which would herald a radical

change in the way we use our vehicles. And then there’s Google with its

automatic driving experiments. Can you imagine letting Google

Maps drive for you?

A link between two worlds

While some augmented reality applications will scan everyday objects for printing in

3D - printing objects will be another big thing in 2014 - others will recognize faces and add them to your agenda, or even identify food to record your caloric intake. The

technology for object recognition apps already exist..

Healthy new software

Don’t forget one of the most important issues: health. In our view, 2014 will be a

year in which applications to monitor and protect our health will improve in quality, especially thanks to specialized hardware.

So, not only will we know our heart rate, but also our level of stress and endurance, and doctors may start to use the apps

for medical diagnosis.

Goodbye to antivirus

Next year will see the biggest change in the history of the antivirus. Less useful

than before, many will disappear or merge. Others will start to convert to

browser plugins or cloud-only solutions. The emphasis will be on web security and

threat detection on social networks. The new avast! 2014 already demonstrates

many of these new features.

Java 8and new

online threatsThe final nail in the coffin to traditional security will come with the release of

Java 8, which promises to solve many of the problems that have caused security crises

in recent years. A zero tolerance policy from browsers about vulnerabilities

and third-party plugins, means that new threats will come from

an unexpected route: HTML5.

The end of classic

passwordsThe NSA scandal will ensure that 2014 is a year in which the protection of private data is more relevant than ever. The mobile OSs will battle to be the most secure, and web

applications will enhance their security with strong encryption and alternative

authentication systems, such as the fingerprints on iOS 7, courtesy of

Touch ID

8Second

screens and augmented reality

On mobile we’re always seeing how the auxiliary apps for games become

commonplace: each major release is accompanied by extra apps, but they rarely stand out from the others on the market.

The most spectacular are those that make use of augmented reality (for

example, to superimpose game content on everyday life).

PS4 and Xbox get

SteamedWithout Nintendo as a direct adversary,

PS4 and Xbox One will face a new competitor, Steam, which, with Steam OS

in its arsenal, is spoiling for a fight. The response from Sony and Microsoft? Games

via streaming, that is, playing console titles from your phone, tablet or

computer. How? Sony has Gaikai and Microsoft has its own

technology.

Nintendo goes mobile

Nintendo can’t continue to ignore mobile any longer. In 2014 it will announce its first titles for mobiles and tablets.

And it’ll be pretty crazy: we’ll see Animal Crossing and Brain Age on Android and iOS.

At the same time, Nintendo will launch social games for Facebook, and new competitors from the Japanese firm

will be King, Rovio and Zynga.

MESS

AGING

OPERATING SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL SECURITY V

IDEO G

AMESINTELLIGENCE