5 Software trends for 2017 (image: bluecoat.com)As new software innovations continue to improve and transform the way we do business, keeping abreast with the latest developments is vital if your business is going to continue to thrive in this ever changing landscape. Various industries who used to be though of as manual are now undergoing mass changes and are moving into the automated space all thanks to the latest software. Software innovations don't stay at the forefront long as they are quickly overshadowed and overtaken by the latest developments.With this in mind Sovtech has listed the five most popular software trends of 2017 to help keep you up to date:ChatbotsSimply put, a chatbot is a computer program that engages in a conversation with a user. It has been predicted that they will hit the mainstream this year with a directed focus at customer interaction. Bots offer an advantage as they increase automation in customer service, create efficiency as they are available to help 24/7 as well as create a more personal experience for customers by recommending products. Chatbots are being used everywhere and are creating efficiency in every industry.PaaSIn terms of cloud computing, Platform as a Service (Paas) is predicted to be the next big thing in 2017. An attractive option to customers (particularly those who are mobile and/or remote) as the development, running, and management of applications can be done without the difficulty of building and maintaining the infrastructure usually associated with developing and launching an app.As the name suggests, PaaS provides you computing platforms which typically includes operating system, programming language execution environment, database, web server etc. examples include AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Windows Azure, Heroku, Force.com, Google App Engine, Apache Stratos. PaaS is predicted to become the key accelerator of a new level of cloud computing.Business DevelopmentSmart technology solutions are expected to excite business users and consumers alike this year. Running a business involves a lot of time and resources. From project planning and assigning tasks to monitoring your workforce and keeping everything running smoothly. In an effort to save more time, money and energy, modern software developers are more focused on developing line-of-business software. The trend is now to run effectively automated businesses and focus on the business user experience. A digital-focused, consumer-led market has lead to customers expecting the same experience they have with their digital technology in their consumer world, in their business environment. Thus, solutions this year will be aimed at improving the business user experience.Big Data AnalyticsAlong with the AI boom has come the need for big data analytics to facilitate machine learning. As AI continues to grow, so will Big Data Analytics. The International Data Corporation says that worldwide revenues for big data and business analytics will grow from R1.62 trillion ($130.1 billion) in 2016 to more than R2.8 trillion ($203 billion) in 2020, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.7%. New tools for collecting and analysing data are expected to emerge due to the increasing investment and interest in Artificial Intelligence.Open Source SoftwareMore solutions are expected to be created on open-source platforms in 2017. The nature of open source development allows for scalable solutions which can easily incorporate the latest plug-ins. A steadier incorporation of open source software at a much larger scale is expected. Open source continues to shape our world with businesses shifting towards incorporating open source into both their code and their culture. By using open source development methods, companies can create unique solutions tailored to their customer and company's specific needs.Staff Writer
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