From advances in 5G research (including a $370 million development pledge by tech giant Ericsson) and the rise of AI capable of beating human poker players, to the launch of exciting new AR-ready products such as the Apple iPhone X, 2017 certainly didn--t disappoint where tech development was concerned. But the question is, can 2018 follow in the tech footsteps of 2017? In particular, will technology in potentially very lucrative areas, such as IoT, AI, AR, robotics, space continue to advance? Here are our tech predictions for the next year. Although many people predominantly associate the Internet of Things with smart home technology, that's not to say it isn't making waves in other areas.