Sick of 2011 predictions yet? We’ve got just a few more. Analyst firm IDC released its 2011 predictions report this week, too late to be included in our earlier analyst firms predictions round-up. “Transformation” is IDC’s watchword for next year. According to the firm, transformation driven by the cloud, mobility and analytics. “In addition to creating new markets and opportunities, this restructuring will overthrow nearly every assumption about who the industry’s leaders will be and how they establish and maintain leadership,” says Frank Gens, senior vice president and chief analyst at IDC.
- IT Spending Will Recover – IT spending recovery driven by cloud services. IDC predicts spending on IT cloud services will grow at a rate five times higher than the rest of the IT industry – a 30% increase over 2010. The firm also expects to see steady growth in other IT spending, such as hardware (7.8% year-over-year growth) and software (5.3% growth).
- Non-PC Mobile Devices Will Out Sell PCs – IDC expects non-PC mobile devices such as smart phone and tables will out sell PCs within the next 18 months.
- 25 Billion Mobile Apps Will Be Sold – IDC expects nearly 25 billion mobile apps will be sold in 2011, up from 10 billion in 2010, and that the mobile app ecosystem will restructure the channels for digital content and services for consumers.
- Social Business Software Market Will Grow, Consolidate – IDC forecasts a growth rate of 38% through 2014 for social business software, and believes more than 40% of SMBs will be using social networks by the end of 2011. The firm also expects 2011 to be marked by consolidation as major vendors acquire smaller players.
- Social Networks and Mobile Shake-Up Verticals – Retail, financial services and healthcare will all be shaken up by social networking and mobile devices. IDC predicts consumers will use price comparison apps to shop for better deals, demand mobile banking and payments and 14% of adult Americans will use a mobile health application in 2011.
These predictions are more short-term and specific than some of the other prediction we’ve covered. What do you think?