Fascinated by technology we all are, aren’t we? Internet – the vast resource of everything; keeps on evolving with time. Last year in 2012 there were far more people who took to mobile communication than was expected. Web developers all over are constantly rising up to new challenges they face with this ever continuous metamorphosis of the World Wide Web. Let’s have a quick glance at the latest trends:
· No Flash Forward
2005, a year when Adobe had made some big claims about all user content that had images and videos on the web would only be Flash based. Apple however, didn’t take the message well and with its first generation of iPad launched soon, it had totally denounced Flash.
Gone are the days when Adobe used to rub shoulders with the big-wigs of software industry. It is approaching bankruptcy as it has announced the discontinuation of Flash. Android 4.1 onwards will not be using it. Doors have opened up for other web-design options like HTML5 and Java Script.
· Job’s legacy lives on
Apple is still taking its role of a pioneer in hardware innovation seriously. Last year with iPad 4 it launched Retina display. A display technology that has twice the density of pixels of a normal LCD. It would have made even High Resolution pictures appear pixelated on future Apple devices. Web-designers however, seem to have found an answer for this in a Javascript (retina.js).
· It’s Adaptive vs Responsive for Web 2.0
A sharp rise in numbers of Smartphones and Tablet users has scurried web-designers to change their approach to design. Adaptive and Responsive are the two trends that seem to have caught the fancy of developers around the world.
In an Adaptive design, the website adapts its functionality dependent on the device it is being viewed on; whereas Responsive websites are designed with a single base code that fluidly responds to any change in browser size.
· Facebook is still a trendsetter
If you had any doubts about it, shun them now. Facebook is still going strong and with its Timeline feature launched last year, it has set off a new trend with web-designers who are using this tactic to cut down on multiple pages. Many news and blog sites have already adopted this trend (The New York Times, The Daily Mail, The Guardian).
· From Websites to Apps and back to Websites again
The growth in number of Apps which was sparked off by Smartphones has shifted back to Websites with Tablets. Even though people are still using Apps, on their Tablets with a bigger screen, they still like to surf websites normally. This is making web-designers change the layout of websites from vertical scrolling to dynamic same page horizontal sliding. It makes it easier for touch screen users to slide horizontally both forward and back as Android OS just provides for a return button with no redo or forward.
· The future lies with Google
Cloud networking seems to be on a new rise with applications such as Dropbox and Skydrive already making a name for themselves. However, Google Drive seems to carry an edge over its competitors as it can be used not only as a storage and file sharing service but also as a Cloud based Word Processor. Upload your files on Google Drive and access them from anywhere; it’s just like having your own personal computer available everywhere. Websites too are starting to integrate themselves with Google Drive just like they had with Facebook in the past to provide information much faster. Apply for a job much faster by sending your CV directly through Google Drive rather than waiting to get home and send it from your PC.