Windows 8, can this new product help Microsoft make a comeback next year?

On December 13, the news website of Dow Jones made a point forecast for the technology industry next year. The forecast is based on the big events in the technology industry in 2012 and the development trend of the industry. For example, in 2012, Microsoft released Windows 8, can this new product help Microsoft make a comeback next year? . The following are the top 10 predictions.

1. Is Apple stopping or breaking? In the past 10 years, Apple has achieved great success with innovative products such as iPhone, iPad and iPod. Its annual revenue has grown by an average of 40% and its net profit has increased by more than 40 times. However, the growth rate is unlikely to last forever. In 2012 (end of September), Apple sales grew by nearly 44%, a significant slowdown from 79% two years ago. Analysts predict sales growth of 24% this year. After the death of Jobs, Apple's innovation has been reduced, and more is the upgrade of hardware. Whether the iPhone and iPad will continue to sell well next year, whether to launch other innovative products, decide whether Apple can continue to grow rapidly.

2. Can PC sales rise? Affected by the economic downturn and the rise of smartphones and tablets, PC sales continued to decline. Moreover, Wintel upgrades and PC sales have also failed, and Windows 8 launched this fall failed to lift PC popularity. Analysts say consumers will take longer to adapt to the new system, and the impact of Windows 8 will not be seen until next year.

3. Can Microsoft (and Ballmer) make a comeback? The PC market is sluggish. Microsoft's use of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 to attack the tablet and smartphone market is unsuccessful. This has put Microsoft at a disadvantage. Microsoft's share price has also fallen, and next year will be a crucial year for Microsoft to make a comeback.

4. Can Whitman win back Wall Street’s confidence in HP? After HP unveiled the news that Autonomy was overpriced, Wall Street was skeptical about HP's ability to compete in the fast-changing market. CEO Whitman is increasingly difficult to convince Wall Street that she is the right person to reverse HP's decline.

5. Who is the Intel leader after Otellini? Intel is at a disadvantage in the fast-growing smartphone chip market and is threatened by rivals such as ARM. Analysts expect that after Otellini retires in May next year, Intel will select a new CEO candidate to understand Intel's problems in order to lead Intel to re-start in the mobile Internet tide.

6. Can Facebook regain Wall Street favor? Facebook's share price fell sharply after its initial public offering (IPO) in May this year, reflecting investors' doubts about Facebook's profitability. Although the bright third-quarter earnings report pushed Facebook's stock price up, next year is the more important test year for Facebook.

7. Can Meyer lead Yahoo! Yahoo has undergone major rectification this year under the leadership of the new management team and the board of directors. The stock price has risen 17% since Mel took over as CEO. Next year, the market will test whether Yahoo can “accelerate revenue growth”.

8. Can Zynga and Groupon reverse the trend? Both companies have fallen sharply after the IPO last year, and they are currently facing the challenge of business model transformation. Zynga will launch more smart terminal games next year, and Groupon will open a business outside the group.

9. Can the BlackBerry survive? The first mobile phone with the new platform is expected to be launched in February and March next year. The second quarter of next year is the key to RIM's survival.

10. Is the hottest technology term for next year cloud computing, Saas (software as a service) or SDN (software defined network)? These popular new words often represent new trends in the technology industry and strategies adopted by large companies.