Web Trends 2007 for Web Developers

Written by Thomas Baekdal on January 6, 2007

2007 is here, and so it is time to look ahead and provide some wild guesses as to what will come.

A year in transition

Overall I think 2007 will be the year of transition. In the last couple of years we have seen a lot of activity with AJAX, Web 2.buzz (usually referred to as Web 2.0), the social web etc.

In 2007 we are going to see several kinds of transitions.

The late-comers (a very big user group) will gradually use the same services as the rest of us have been using for a long time. Sites like Digg, MySpace, Flickr, Del.icio.us etc. will all see an increase of new users - from this user group.
The front-runners will grow tired of the same services, and start using other things - or use it in a more balanced way.
The techno-hipsters (those who create web-things because it makes them look cool), will also go on to do other things - causing much of the Web 2.0 atmosphere to thin out.
The trend-makers will already have left - and started looking at what to do next.

2.0 will die - and become a mark of losers

2006 was all about "2.0". It started with Web 2.0, but now we see all kinds of "2.0's". It will still make headlines with the press, but for those who really matters it is the mark of a failed experiment - and of good intentions gone bad.

If you call something "2.0" in 2007 you will automatically label it "I failed" (and do not even think about calling it Web 3.0, unless you want to sound desperate).

BTW: You might consider your exit strategy...

Vista will give birth to a lot of interesting experiments.

Atlas, Microsoft Expression, Windows Presentation Foundations, are all applications/systems with incredible potential. We have already seen a few (mostly poor) examples of what to come.

The main reason I am excited about this is that Microsoft is way ahead of the pack in terms of rich media internet applications. Although they have not really made anything really spectacular yet, the very existence of these new technologies will get people moving.

Lack of Interoperability becomes a big problem

2005-2006 was really about allowing people to share and communicate through an amazing amount of new services. But, although a few of them offer API's none offer interoperability with other systems. What we are currently seeing is a fragmented internet - desperately in need to be cleaned up.

The Web will slow down - momentarily

Since 2007 is a year of transition, there will be a somewhat less activity until the trend-makers come up with something new.

xHTML + JavaScript will get into trouble

2005-2006 was really the rebirth of xHTML + JavaScript, but as web applications starts to get more and more advanced, people will also realized that these technologies is not up to the task. WPF and Next-gen Flash will gradually take over as the development platform of choice (with emphasis on gradually).

The internet becomes the foundation

We already see this in many computers game and with Second Life - both something that could not work without the internet. In 2007 we will see internet usage increase tremendously as the basis of other applications/systems.

BTW: Do not confuse this with the Web (the thing you see with a browser).

Other things to notice:

Adobe is said to release a new version of Flash, specifically targeted web application development. That could be interesting.
Online movie sites will probably make a big breakthrough in 2007.
Flash video will reach its peak - and become a standard component just like images are today.
A lot of companies will try to do something with RSS, but without any really spectacular results.
RSS will be used more, but the awareness of it will be less.
Enterprises will venture into web based services as a platform for work (but only in terms of specialized applications)
There will be a lot of talk about Microsoft vs. Google - but nothing will really change.
Firefox will gain some market share, but their fan-base will be smaller.
Mobile internet will grow, but without any significant changes.