Predictions: 2015

So why would anyone ever write predictions? They are just asking to be proven wrong and worse they are hard to deny in the future, so do not do it. Here are mine (see you in 12 months to review).

Note: Before I start, I just want to say I live by the fact all ideas which are going to be big in the next 5 years already exist in some form at this moment, so really this should be predictions for the next 5 years not just 12 months (the excuses start early...).

Here we go:

1) Virtual Reality, if you have seen anyone wearing a virtual reality headset they look strange, always freaking out (a lot like a silent disco, without the companions) however this is about to hit mainstream, when you can use your iPhone, Google glasses (maybe not, see post) it is easier to forget about Candy Crush and step into an alternate reality. I predict the first viral video of people playing virtual reality games on the tube in 2015

2) This is less a prediction and more just something I think is cool, VNYL is a crowd funded (the Kickstater raised 36K in record time) personal curated Vinyl sharing company. What does that mean? Every month they deliver 3 Vinyl records for you to play, listen and potentially keep (if  you pay extra) or return and receive 3 more the following month. It's a clever idea and I like the sharing/personal curation concept.

3) Sharing/Borrowing, so Airbnb have already made this huge and Uber are revolutionising the taxi industry. So it has already started but now the sharing/borrowing/renting will be huge, whether it is sharing tools, ski equipment or even storage space. The sharing industry is going to come into it's own this year. One of my favourites of the new bread is Roadie a lot like Uber but for delivery/removals, anyone with a car/van can sign up and all payments etc completed through the app, once the item is delivered, just list it on Roadie and anyone going your way can deliver it for a the price you are offering. Brilliant.

4) Baidu will start becoming a bigger player in the west. Currently doing the business in China and fast expanding internationally, the search engine will start eating into Google's dominance of the market and become a even bigger behemoth.

5) WeChat, the Chinese social network (a lot like What's App) will become the norm, it is already 10 times better then What's App and even has a Tinder angle, shake it and see who is close, basically how you hook up in Shanghai.

See you in 12 months to review.