2015 was the year in which the world really woke up to the power of cloud computing. It has gone beyond the niche sector of technology companies and become an accepted fact in all our lives.

The technology can only improve and it will bring new technologies and open doors that we cannot even see right now. The Internet of Things can finally take off and the cloud will change the way in which we live.

So, where next for the cloud? Well the truth is that the technology is advancing at such a rate that nobody can be sure – there are quantum leaps in technology happening on a weekly basis. Here, though, are some bold predictions for the year ahead.

1. Hybrid clouds

Hybrid clouds have been the big thing in enterprise this year, but in 2016 hybrid clouds will take over and multi-cloud environments will become a foundation for the next generation of apps.

2. Security paranoia will rule the roost

Security is still one of the main concerns about the cloud and that is not going to go away. The cloud will increasingly hold consumer data and mission critical information that contain sensitive data and that means security will be a constant concern.

3. Apps will go to another level

The next wave of apps will have real-time analytics woven into their core, not grafted on as an afterthought. It will change the way the app works, how it is personalised to the customer’s specific tastes and how the app responds to inputs. How? Only time will tell.

4. Compliance regulations will change

Certain industries are barred from the cloud due to compliance issues. These will simply disappear as the world as a whole wakes up to the potential of the cloud.

5. Everyone will have cloud storage

You may not even know it, but we’ll all be on the cloud soon. It could be the pictures on your phone backing up automatically, the TV shows you want to store sitting on the cloud waiting for you or it could be your entire working life. One way or another, we will all use the cloud in 2016.

So if you haven’t woken up to the cloud yet, then get in touch for some computer support in London, and wake up to the potential of the greatest technical revolution of recent times.

Clouds over Pyrgos by Klearchos Kapoutsis licensed under Creative commons 4