Five (More) Tech Predictions For 2016

<<< Read: Five Tech Predictions For 2016

Last week, I stuck my neck on the block and issued five tech predictions for 2016.

To recap, we discussed how the incredible pace of innovation looks set to continue this year… how virtual reality is poised for a defining year… which tech giant will acquire Twitter (TWTR)… how Nikola Tesla’s dream from the 1800s is ready to become reality… and why this will be another big year for Apple (AAPL).

And I enjoyed it so much that I’m coming back for more!

I’m going to wrap up today by listing five more tech forecasts for this year. So let’s get right to it…

Tech Trend No. 6: Declining lithium-ion battery prices spark a surge in storage installations

Mention “batteries” to most people and you’ll probably be greeted by moans about their poor longevity or how fed up they are with buying them.

But as the chart below shows, the cost of batteries, particularly lithium-ion ones, keeps falling. Combined with generous subsidies and third-party financing, the stage is set for 2016 to be a tipping-point year for battery storage solutions and investments. I’m talking about both in front-of-the-meter (power grid-oriented) and behind-the-meter (distributed) systems.

Tech Trend No. 7: Cyber-security vaults from “hot” to “red hot”

We’re all aware of the increasingly serious threats from cyber crime. And TechCrunch’s John Biggs sums up the situation perfectly when he states, “Hacking is now an international sport and the people protecting our data are idiots.”

I couldn’t agree more. In 2015, cyber criminals easily laid waste to antiquated defenses at Target Corp. (TGT), Sony Corp. (SNE), and even the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management.

And the world we live in now is a hacker’s dream, given the increasing amount of devices and data we’re putting online. With more targets for cyber criminals, I predict that spending on cyber security defensesand cyber security insurance will hit record levels in 2016.