2020 was a year like no other. It had its fair share of economic hardships that we experience every other year. What made it more unique is the Covid-19 pandemic that went paralyzing almost every activity. Thanks though to the software development techniques that exist, we still could get what we needed though with a lot of strains. Trending in 2021 through video conferencing platforms like Zoom, cloud meetings could be held and students could still make it to learn. As we were bidding this special year farewell, a lot of research went into the possible new trends for the year 2021. This article shares the results of such studies.
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Cybersecurity is still going to remain a major concern Trending in 2021
Instances of cybercrimes have been there through decades. 2020 was no exception; such cases were on the rise. The fact that most people lost their jobs, staying lazy all day long only skyrocketed things. Phishing of emails reportedly increased. Cases of identity theft also rose, leading to losses of up to $21 trillion by the end of 2020. Online harassment also rose, with many teenagers falling victim to such. Passwords were hacked, leading to access to accounts and ultimately losing finances. Following these incidences, it is clear that more stringent standards are going to be introduced to ensure cybersecurity. More data encryption standards are going to hit cyberspace to evade major financial losses like those already incurred in 2020. A lot of resources and time will be dedicated to researching for stronger ways of curbing malware. Only this way will those alarming cybercrime statistics in 2020 come down.
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not going to stop
AI is not the newest jargon in town. We have been hearing about it for the longest time in the history of software development trends. Simply described, it refers to the technology that mimics man. In AI, the software is designed in such a way that it can perform the roles humans do, even without supervision. In 2021, the application of AI is not going to cease. Think about the email filters, smart replies, and the ‘nudging’ feature in Gmail. With filters, inboxes are well-organized and grouped into spam, social, forum, primary, promotions, or updates. The nudging feature determines emails that have not been replied to and highlights them so that you can notice them and respond to them. The food delivery industry, online shopping, and transport facilities use AI to enhance customer experience and save on time. This translates into profits in such fields. Clearly, every single industry applies AI. Thus, AI is here to stay.
The Internet of Things (IoT)’s application will be continual
The software industry has brought with it IoT, which is ‘the interlinkage of things for acquiring and sharing data over the Internet’. This data sharing process by these objects is made possible through special sensors and technologies that are embedded in the objects. Why is IoT so important today? There are several reasons. First, IoT saves people of the fatigue they would experience in sharing data. Secondly, through IoT, data privacy is ensured. Third, IoT makes customer experience friendly for businesses. Think about smart homes. Amazon Echo is an example of a smart home product that uses vocal codes to control its devices. Farmers too are not left behind; using IoT, they can monitor soil properties like texture, composition, profile and make decisions regarding tillage and cropping systems. Evidently then, 2021 will still be characterized by IoT applications.
Cloud data storage Trending
In this era of software development, almost everyone is conversant with cloud storage. Talking about it, we mean storage of information in logical pools, technically referred to as ‘cloud’. Admittedly, cloud storage has outnumbered any form of data storage. Traditional methods like physical files are vulnerable since they could easily be destroyed and were bulky. Recently, removable device data storage devices like flash disks and memory cards cropped in. of course, they are better than the former ones because of portability. However, when you lose them, your data is equally lost. That is where cloud storage outweighs removable devices’ data storage. Once you store data on the cloud, it is available for as long as you want it. Using any device, you can access such data online with a steady internet connection. So in Trending in 2021, cloud storage like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google will continue accruing benefits from this service.
Big data will remain crucial
Big data technology is a feature that acquires large and complex data systems that would normally be too difficult to be handled by the traditional methods. With menaces like the Covid-19 pandemic, the ever-changing climatic patterns, and the fast-mutating pests like the recent locusts’ invasion, there is an even greater need to apply the usage of big data. This is because the above-mentioned cases are complex and have many interconnected factors affecting and determining their consequences. Additionally, the healthcare industry will apply big data this year to try coming up with cures for cancer and other diseases that are now becoming global disasters. Undoubtedly, big data is here to stay.
Native apps will continue in usage
Native apps have been in use for a long time than hybrid apps. Trending in 2021 the native apps are those built in a unique programming language and meant for a specific device. For iOS, Object-C is the programming language used in designing native apps while for Android native apps, Java is the language used. Compared to hybrid apps, native apps give users a better experience. For example, courtesy of native apps, while using platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, microphones, and cameras are automatically turned on and can be used simultaneously. Honestly, that saves the energy you would spend exiting one app before accessing another, thanks to native apps. Realistically then, industries are going to use native apps more than ever, especially for flawless performance.
Conclusion
Even though we faced lots of challenges in 2020 than the previous years, the software development industry had a lot to offer. This contributed to a degree of comfort and success in services amidst the hardships. This moved software developers to spend time as the year closed, to predict some trends that would stand out in 2021. The article has discussed six major trends to look out for Trending in 2021. Such trends include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, cloud storage, native apps, and big data which are not going to vanish from the market this year. You can keep an eye on them.
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