Our 2012 Predictions: Development

In 2012 we expect to see a significant increase in the use of “HTML5“, the next major revision of HTML that developers use to build websites. As a result, users should start to see new and improved functionality and increased interactivity on websites. More animations  and videos will be displayed without the use of third-party software such as Adobe Flash, enabling them to work on a wider variety of devices and increasing the ability for them to interact with other content. Content tailored for use with mobile devices will become more common especially with the use of Geolocation to customise content based on the visitor’s physical location.

With the arrival of interactive TVs, increased production of tablet devices, games consoles and mobile phones, websites will be viewed on a much greater range of different devices and will also increasingly be navigated using different methods including voice and touch.

New features in HTML5 will encourage the development of web-based applications. Many traditional applications will also utilise new and existing web technologies to encourage third-party development such as Apps in the new Metro interface that will be part of the upcoming Windows 8.