ClappingTree’s Web 2.0

A summarized list of 2007 Web predictions made by Richard MacManus, Ebrahim Ezzy, Emre Sokullu, Alex Iskold and Rudy De Waele on the Read/Write Web blog:

• Structured Data: RSS integrated into Microsoft’s new Vista OS, Yahoo Mail, Google Base. Interesting RSS services. More e-commerce and multimedia widgets expected. Google forging ahead with its own standards, largely ignoring microformats (the Web community’s open standards).
• Enterprise: Web Office battle expected between Google and Microsoft. Small startups may be acquired by the big Internet companies. Consumerization of the enterprise IT in the form of web-based office apps and more collaborative systems.
• Web Development: Rich Internet Apps, a continuation of the hybrid web/desktop apps theme, expected (notably Adobe Apollo and OpenLazlo). Browser-based apps extended, possibly Vector Graphics (VML/SVG) + Ajax. More Semantic Web products (E.g. RadarNetworks and Metaweb). More Amazon-like Web services (WebOS), especially from Google and Microsoft, e.g. Windows Live services vs a Google-optimized Linux.
• Search and Online Advertising: AdSense will have competition, especially from MSN AdCenter and Yahoo. Better, more robust online ad model than CPA (CPC/PPC issues). Search 2.0 in the form of vertical search engines (e.g. Google Health) and SearchMash (e.g. search result returns not only homepage of company but also some semantic meaning).
• Multimedia: More Internet-based TV (e.g. Brightcove, Google Vide/YouTube), more Interactive TV (e.g. Skype’s Venice Project), more IPTV with P2P (e.g. DemocracyPlayer). More virtual worlds (e.g. SecondLife, Habbo) and virtual money (e.g. Second LindeX, Microsoft points).
• Consumer Apps: Online real estate market ramps up, disruptive business models persists, data portability needed among social networks.
• International Web: One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) may increase the adoption of thin-client PC, web apps and Linux for the mainstream.
• Mobile: More VoIP competitors for Skype. Online/Offline mobile technologies (e.g. Smartpox). Emerging Webphone market. More user-generated content, mobile search, mobile ads, QR codes (retail), image recognition, card swapping, download hotspots, “smart client” solutions.