10 tech products that became popular before they were released in 2015

2014 was an exciting year, as we mentioned in our review of the big events of the past 12 months. In 2015, the tech world is going to be even more exciting than 2014, with even more hardware devices, software services, and new products already announced.

For example, HTC has promised to give us some big surprises in 2015. At the same time, we also hope that they will not just attract attention in the next few months. Here, we have listed 10 technology products that we are likely to look forward to in 2015.

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Windows 10

This is Microsoft's most important and surprising operating system. The new operating system can be installed not only on PCs, laptops, and tablets, but also on smartphones, microcomputers, smart hardware, network devices (smart homes), and even Xbox.

This is the first time that Microsoft has applied various resources of the operating system, including file systems, development environments, system features, user interfaces, etc., to multiple devices. The Win10 we see is only a small part of the Microsoft platform.

But even the relatively limited preview that the company has released so far - to let business users and developers get a sneak peek at the new features of Windows 10 - is enough to make us want to check out the new system. The latest version, which includes the latest patches and updates, is stable enough for daily use for some users (including Brad Sams, senior editor of Neowin).

Time to get Windows 10 9879 onto my daily hard drive. pic.twitter.com/LLo2GePMfS — Brad Sams (@bdsams) January 2, 2015

And although the new system was originally planned to be released in the second half of the year, perhaps as late as the fourth quarter, we will still learn more about the new features of Windows 10 later this month. Microsoft hosted the Windows 10 conference on January 21, when the official will show some of the most popular new features of the system. Including new features added to games.

After trying unsuccessfully to attract both business and consumer users to Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, Microsoft had to release something close to amazing with the new OS, and we'll see in the second half of this year whether they can live up to these sky-high expectations.

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Office for Windows

The release of Windows 10 will pave the way for Microsoft to release the long-awaited touch version of Windows Office. The new touch version of Office apps has been speculated for a while, but even after Microsoft released the Android and iOS versions of Office apps, the Windows Phone version has not yet been released.

The new version of the application will be considered part of the next official version later this year. The leaked photos show that the desktop version of Office 16 will not change much, and Microsoft emphasizes the new features, improved performance, and enhanced cloud support and team collaboration features.

Windows Phone users will also get a wealth of features from the new Office release. Office development on the Windows Phone platform has been somewhat stagnant, with only a handful of significant features added to the already limited Windows Phone 7 platform in 2010. Microsoft can clearly do more on Windows Phone than on other platforms -- and that will be a significant growth point among users for Microsoft's mobile operating system.

Joe Belfiore confirmed this week that "the Office team has not forgotten the Windows Phone platform," but it may take some time before users really like the Office suite on Windows devices.

Cortana is everywhere

Microsoft's personal digital assistant first appeared in April at the launch of Windows Phone 8.1. Cortana is currently only available on the mobile operating system - and only in the portable device market - but that will change in 2015.

Microsoft recently released an alpha preview of Cortana in several markets, including Spain, Germany, and France. To bring some new features to these countries, Microsoft earlier this month released Cortana Online in multiple languages ​​simultaneously in multiple markets, making the assistant available on Windows Phone worldwide.

The latest Windows 10 will show how Cortana is integrated into the new version of the system, and we hope to see this in the "user preview" later this month, but there is still a lot of room for Cortana.

With some version of Windows 10 coming to Xbox One, Cortana integration will be a priority for Microsoft, and let’s not forget that despite Microsoft’s constant denials, there have been rumors that they will release Cortana for Android or iOS.

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The true Windows Phone flagship

When Microsoft gave up charging licensing fees for its small-screen Windows devices last year, it gained more than 50 new hardware partners, more than half of whom have developed and released their own Windows Phone devices. But there is no doubt that these brands are just testing the waters in the low-end market of the platform, leaving only HTC and Microsoft in the high-end market.

HTC can almost be ignored, because its Windows version of One (M8) is only available in the United States, although rumors say that its international version is likely to be released. In most other countries, only Microsoft's Lumia can satisfy those who want to try it. In this regard, Microsoft still has a lot to do.

In the second half of last year, Microsoft successfully launched three flagship products: the 41-megapixel Lumia 1020 with the industry's best camera experience, the 5-inch Lumia 930/Icon, and the Lumia 1520 with a 6-inch giant screen but the same narrow bezel.

Of the three above, the Lumia 1020 is now at the end of its life as its stock is cleared. The Lumia 930/Icon and 1520 are still the best in the industry with their excellent cameras, but these two devices have also been overshadowed by new Android and iOS devices with more new features and higher configurations.

We hope to see more high-end Windows Phone devices from Microsoft and its partners in the near future, especially with the release of the Snapdragon 805 and 810 chips. We also wish Microsoft the best of luck with the upcoming Lumia 1020 update. With the revolutionary camera already included in the latest Denim firmware update, the Lumia 1030 will redefine the standard for smartphone photography.

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HTC One (M9)

The HTC One (M8) is arguably one of the most talked-about Android devices ever, and its Windows version is also getting a lot of praise. HTC promises that 2015 will be the best it's ever been, and given that it's set such a high bar for its first few devices, including the Google tablet Nexus 9, it's fair to say we're excited.

The company is promising big surprises before the end of the year, but what we're really focused on is the next version of the HTC One.

Recent leaks suggest that the device, codenamed Hima, which may eventually be called 'One (M9)', will come in two versions, a standard version and a larger phablet. Each version will allegedly be available in both Android and Windows versions, and will be powered by a Snapdragon 805 chip, 3GB of RAM and a 2K display, which should make the wait worthwhile.

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OnePlus 2

Another Android device to watch out for in 2015 is the OnePlus 2. We still don't know if the company hit its goal of selling one million units of the original by the end of 2014, but one thing is for sure, the device is still going strong.

This is quite an achievement for a company that has become famous for various scandals. But despite the fact that they cancelled the replaceable back cover, the admittedly sexist design, and other mistakes, many users did not care about the company's decision-makers and only focused on the device itself.

That’s understandable, after all, the OnePlus 1 was a very good device with flagship specs for half the price of its biggest competitors. We can only hope OnePlus doesn’t make the wrong move (and gives up on the goddamn invite-to-buy), because if it does, the OnePlus 2 will be very satisfying.

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Ara Project

What started as an R&D project will soon become a real – and exciting – product: a smartphone with modular components that can be easily removed and replaced.

Unlike traditional smartphones — which come pre-assembled and cannot be upgraded — the idea behind Project Ara is that users can build and upgrade their handheld devices around their specific needs. With Ara, users will be able to buy a basic "shell" into which they can insert components — like the camera, processor, RAM, battery, etc. — and then purchase new modules as needed.

Google's plan to sell the core enclosure for just $50 made the project more compelling, and separate pricing encouraged users to periodically purchase more upgrade kit components. By the time the company was ready to release the first 100 developer units, it had received more than 90,000 applications from people eager to get their hands on an Ara prototype, suggesting that its development was healthy and even on the right track in its infancy.

But if users remain enthusiastic about it as Google expects, then this phenomenon is still possible. $50 can already buy a good smartphone, not just an empty shell. Will users be so impulsive as to spend more money on a modular device that is easy to assemble and partially upgrade?

We may not have an answer for a while, but we may only be a few weeks away from getting a peek at Project Ara, anyway. Last April, Google promised that the latest version of the device would be released in January 2015, and we really hope that plan hasn't fallen through.

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Apple Watch

In September, Apple unveiled its long-rumored wearable device, and as always, it abandoned the low-end market, where rivals keep their smartwatches priced between $100 and $200. Apple's smartwatch starts at $349 and has no strict price cap, with models featuring precious metals going as high as $5,000.

But let's not joke, Apple's smartwatch is bound to become a big hit. Some people may think it is too expensive before they use it or even touch it, but no matter what, there are so many Apple fans, and the number of people around the world who buy a smartwatch to pair with their iPhone, iPad, iMac, MacBook, Mac mini, Apple TV or iPod is also considerable.

Those who scoff at the Apple Watch need to remember that this company is the main driver of competition and progress in the industry. Smartwatches are not a must-have item for consumers today, and with so many mediocre Android smartwatch manufacturers involved, it's hard to get consumers interested in smartwatches. Apple's involvement can help rivals make better products, and this catfish effect can, to some extent, make these companies make fewer mediocre products.

We are also excited to see what the Apple Watch can do. The company has proven that it can make beautiful hardware and simple user operations. If this can be achieved on the Apple Watch, it will become a benchmark that defines and drives the industry.
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Non-operator

Overall, mobile operators are the most difficult sector to deal with. But one of the big players recently showed that it is not necessary to always hurt the interests of consumers in order to maintain business.

T-Mobile reinvented itself as a non-carrier in 2014, and from a consumer perspective, it became the largest of the four major network operators in the U.S. In addition to this innovation, T-Mobile also adopted other measures to please consumers, such as canceling overcharged items, allowing remaining data to be used next month, unlimited free cellular music streaming, free Wi-Fi on domestic flights, and helping to pay for unexpired contracts to attract competitors' users to join its camp as soon as possible.

So what else does T-Mobile and its CEO spokesman John Legere have in store for consumers this year? Let's wait and see.

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The console wars continue

No matter how you slice it, the PS4 absolutely crushed the Xbox One in 2014, with Sony's console outselling the Xbox by more than three times as much for most of the year. But Microsoft did make a small comeback at the end of the year, with Xbox finally outselling Sony's console in the US.

We will have to wait and see whether this momentum can be maintained. However, regardless, Xbox is far behind Sony in global sales. Even so, we still expect the battle to become more intense in the next 12 months.

Expect both Sony and Microsoft to continue adding new features to their consoles. For Microsoft, having Windows 10 as a source of support will be very interesting, as it will provide a lot of potential impact for Xbox applications. In addition, the two companies have promised to develop more interesting games in the future.

Until Dawn, No Man's Sky, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, and Street Fighter V are all popular games on PS4 this year. Xbox One owners can also experience some new hits like Rise of the Tomb Raider, Quantum Break, Crackdown, and of course the most widely played Halo 5: Guardians. This year is going to be exciting.

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