Contributed article by Raj Dhingra, CEO of NComputing

NComputing: Predictions for 2014

The nature of computing today continues to change and evolve at rapid pace and there are no signs of it slowing down any time soon. This is driven by the fact that the modern workplace is becoming increasingly mobile due to globalization of the workforce, work from anywhere requirements, and growing BYOD implementations.

The Desktop PC brought tremendous productivity gains to people worldwide. However, to reduce the complexity of managing PCs, IT evolved to standardize the PC software and hardware environment. By contrast, the mobile device evolution has been anything but standard. Users now have multiple devices, and their purchase is not usually controlled by IT.  It's also been everyone's experience that while carrying multiple devices is not convenient, users put up with it because they cannot be equally productive across any device. Tablets are good for some use cases, smart phones for others and laptops/PCs/thin clients for most.

A key theme I expect to see in 2014, therefore, is the progression of end user computing virtualization is mobile device enablement for the ultimate in user productivity. Given this, the following are key trends to watch that I believe will define the road ahead and set the stage for how companies will work and conduct business in the future: 

Hybrid Will Become the New Normal

Today's desktop is no longer limited to the Windows environments that users have grown accustomed to. The desktop, as we know it, is transforming into a hybrid workspace of Windows, cloud and SaaS applications, along with data residing on-premises or on cloud storage that needs to be accessed from any device at any time.

2014 will continue to see the hybridization of the end-user computing experience. Access to hybrid applications, hybrid application delivery, and hybrid data from any device is quickly becoming the new norm.

Goodbye DaaS, and Hello WaaS

The next generation of virtualization solutions for end-user computing, therefore, will NOT be about delivering a virtual desktop, or DaaS "Desktop as a Service." Instead, it will be designed to deliver a virtual workspace to mobile devices. The big shift is to think about users, applications and data, and not about desktops.

We'll see a fundamental change - not just in engineering, but also in user experience in terms of how a user will access their files or information on a touch-enabled device. In 2014, I predict DaaS will therefore evolve into a next-generation offering called "WorkSpace as a Service" or WaaS. It is no surprise then that WaaS is catching the eye of leading industry analysts from firms such as Gartner, Forrester and IDC.

Tablets Will Cross the Tipping Point

Compared to PCs, tablets have been limited in the breadth and depth of capabilities they could perform-providing roughly 20% of comparable functionality to desktop PC or laptops. I believe 2014 will be the tipping point, where users will be able to accomplish more than 50% of their day-to-day needs on tablets alone.

Over the last few years, email, basic utility applications and some SaaS applications have been available on tablets. However, most users have had to resort to either pulling out their laptop or waiting to get to a desktop PC to get their work done - since the applications they need are not available on either iPad or Android tablets. The big shift in crossing the 50% mark will be driven by business and productivity applications becoming available on tablets through a virtualized workspace.

Users will find themselves more productive on tablets and laptops/PCs as they can view and work on all their business apps and their documents simply and securely. And finally, technology will get out of the way so people can achieve their full potential in a dynamic, global world.

Closing Thoughts

These trends promise that 2014 will be an exciting year in computing, as we'll witness a major progression in new offerings that will ultimately drive user productivity. As the world becomes more mobile, we at NComputing look forward to continuing our work in delivering cutting-edge desktop virtualization technology designed to meet such needs.

About the Author