Android is primed for an explosive year in 2017.
1: Android will hit 90% market share.
Android has continued to climb up the global market share ladder, thanks to manufacturers, such as One Plus, selling unlocked devices.The first reason is Google (more on that in a bit). Another reason for this landmark will be a lack of innovation from Apple; the big "A" will continue to play it safe (as they did in 2016), and more users will migrate to Android because of this. Couple this with the increased performance and battery life found in Android 7, and the Linux-driven mobile platform will easily climb the next rung in the global dominance market's ladder.
2: Google's Pixel will dominate the smartphone market.
Another reason Android will dominate 2017 is the device designed by Google: the Pixel. Not only is this device the most powerful smartphone on the market, it also brings to light features that people will want. One feature in particular is Assistant. Google is the first company to bring an AI-centric digital assistant to life and do it right. With the power of the Pixel driving that feature, this device will continue to be one of the hottest on the market. And when the Pixel 2 releases, Google will only improve on everything they already perfected and crush the flagship competition—with one exception (more on that in a bit).
3: A next-gen Pixel chromebook will meld Android and Chrome OS.
The next iteration of the Pixel chromebook will be very Assistant-centric, and it will be the single most powerful chromebook to date. On top of that, the device's design aspect will blow the competition out of the water. I predict this device will sell out faster than any piece of hardware ever created by Google.
5: Android Auto and Google Home will finally integrate.
With the continued rise of both Android Auto and Google Home, I believe we will finally see integration of the two. Imagine getting ready for work on a blustery winter morning and being able to say "Okay, Google Home, start my car!" At some point in 2017, we will see such seamless integration, and it will be welcomed with much ballyhoo.
6: Samsung's reputation will improve with the release of quality devices.
2016 was a rough year for the once-dominant Samsung. With Phones catching fire leading to a massive recall, it seemed the company was on a collision course with failure.
The Galaxy 8 should be arriving in February and will likely (and finally) ditch the home button, integrating it into the screen. The device might also see some of the smallest bezels of any device on the market, with a greater than 90% screen-to-body ratio. The device will go a long way to salvage the mobile arm of Samsung and see consumers forgiving them for the debacle that was 2016.
7: OnePlus 5 will be one of the hottest devices of 2017.
OnePlus will release one of the most desired devices of the year; they will skip the "4" moniker and go straight for OnePlus 5. The new device will take a drastically different approach to materials and use either glass or ceramic for the body to create something wholly unique. Not only will the device offer a unique look and feel, it will be powered by a top-tier chipset and will sell at a price point low enough to put one of the most powerful flagship devices into the hands of users everywhere.
OnePlus will release one of the most desired devices of the year; they will skip the "4" moniker and go straight for OnePlus 5. The new device will take a drastically different approach to materials and use either glass or ceramic for the body to create something wholly unique. Not only will the device offer a unique look and feel, it will be powered by a top-tier chipset and will sell at a price point low enough to put one of the most powerful flagship devices into the hands of users everywhere.
It's going to be an interesting year
I think it's safe to say that 2017 will be Android's biggest year. With a combination of incredible hardware and software, as well as far-reaching integration, Android will dominate in ways no other mobile platform could dream of.What do you think will happen with Android in 2017? Share your predictions with us.
Source@techrepublic
