Top 10 Predictions for 2017

2016 sure took its toll on Kanye West, so we’re predicting a quieter year ahead for the headline-making rapper. By retiring from music, at least temporarily, he can pay closer attention to his various other business endeavours, and perhaps even begin plans for his much-publicised presidential campaign. While Kanye in the White House may just be a beautiful dark twisted fantasy for even his most diehard fans, some time off would at least allow him to turn the Adidas Yeezy into the world’s favourite sneaker. Failing that, he’ll become a stay at home dad with a parenting how-to guide out just in time for Christmas.

After the iPhone 7 fell a little flat in the excitement stakes, all eyes are on the iPhone 8 to reaffirm Apple’s reputation as the planet’s foremost tech innovator. 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, and rumours say that the company’s set to celebrate with a radical redesign. Expected features include an OLED edge-to-edge display, wireless charging and a faster processor. Perhaps most significantly of all, Apple are tipped to ditch the Home button, in favour of integrated touch ID. We’re also hoping for some more off the wall updates, and at least a little more battery life! Also waterproof those bitches because I dropped my new one in the toilet this year and that really sucked.

2017 is being tipped as a make or break year for virtual reality tech. Investors will hope that sales for gadgets including the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR will pick up, which could see VR updates in other tech companies, namely Skype. The video messaging service could prove the perfect fit for virtual reality, and offer one of the most practical uses for VR. Conversations held headset-to-headset should offer a more convincing, immersive experience and the early signs are that it will be reasonably affordable too. WebEye VR has emerged as an early leader in the field, with kits priced from around $250.

From wearable devices to self-driving cars, the Internet of Things, or IoT is the integration of networking in every day objects, turning something like your coffee mud into a ‘smart’ coffee mug. An IoT Architect is a position requiring you to build IoT solutions to solve business problems, this new type of IT executive is already being branded as an ‘architect’. Whether the role requires adapting an existing network of IoT services, or starting from scratch for a company only just embracing new data possibilities, the IoT architect will likely prove a must-have for big businesses around the world. As such, salaries are expected to be generous. So, if you’re already an IT buff, best get tweaking your resume for your next big role.

Get ready for a standout year of cinema, with one or two probable flops along the way. “Justice League” will steal the media spotlight, but we think “Wonder Woman” will prove the better DC offering. “Logan” could be a surprise package and one of the best superhero movies of the year while the long-awaited “XXX: Return of Xander Cage” could also shock by not being shockingly bad. “Beauty and the Beast” is set to be beautiful rather than beastly, “Kong: Skull Island” brutal and brilliant, and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” will have to go a long way to outshining the original, but we expect it to make a mighty good go of it. As for the Oscars, Best Picture goes to “La La Land”.

In what could be an awesome year at movie theatres generally, records are most likely to be broken right at the end of it, with “Star Wars: Episode VIII”. The Force was definitely awakened in December 2015 when J. J. Abrams breathed new life into the epic sci-fi series, and as Rian Johnson takes to the director’s chair for the next instalment it’s impossible to see anything other than massive success. There are rumours aplenty around the Episode VIII story, but considering where we left Rey last time it seems a very fair bet that Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker will play an important role. So, set your lightsabers to excited and circle December 15th on your calendars. Cue the music.

After two straight match-ups in the NBA finals, 2017 could see the Golden State Warriors face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers once again, in the biggest game in basketball. The two teams have hatched a seriously high profile rivalry in recent seasons, spearheaded by the likes of LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Warriors won in 2015, but the Cavaliers were victorious in the 2016 series, which saw both sides go into game 7 level on points for the first time in NBA history. We’re anticipating a third clash on the court, and a best out of three decider. But we daren’t call the winner!

As a supposed sequel to PlayStation’s “The Last of Us” edges ever closer, critics and fans are continually divided on exactly what they want from it. The original title, released in 2013, was one of the most decorated video games in history, so whatever game developer Naughty Dog releases, it has some scarily big shoes to fill. What role will Joel and Ellie play in a sequel? Will it focus around brand new cast of characters? And where (or when) will we re-join the story? And most controversially of all, will “The Last of Us” lose its linear narrative to switch to open world? We’re predicting that it will, and that fans will be mixed about the notion of an open world Last of Us.

The prestigious EGOT acronym signifies an extremely rare set of awards, given to anyone who has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. But the multi-talented Lin-Manuel Miranda could very soon complete an unprecedented MacPEGOT – or an EGOT, plus a MacArthur Genius Prize and a Pulitzer Prize too. Miranda first started collecting accolades in 2008, with two Tonys for the musical “In The Heights”; heading into 2017 the only prize he doesn’t have is an Oscar. But, he co-wrote the music for Disney’s “Moana”, which is tipped to win Best Original Song at the 2017 Academy Awards, and solidify Miranda’s spot in entertainment history. We’d also like to take this moment to prophesise another 2017 Oscar-winner in the shape of Emma Stone, who will pick up her first golden statuette for “La La Land”.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Adele Wins Album of the Year at the Grammys

Kermit and Miss Piggy Get Back Together

Budapest Wins Hosting Rights for the 2024 Summer Olympics

Despite years of labelling the concept of climate change as a hoax linked to rising taxes, when Donald Trump enters the White House global warming will be the first thing in his in-tray. It’s a bold prediction, and it may be more in hope than judgment, but could Trump surprise America, and the world, by prioritising the needs of our planet? By laying plans to phase out fossil fuels and freeing up revenue for renewable energy sources, Trump could make his first year as Commander in Chief an especially memorable one. He cut a burly, brash, offensive and divisive man on the campaign trail, but with the top job secure we may see a softer side to The Donald. Maybe.


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