"This unique report provides an insightful view into the future of apps and the rapid transition to a powerfully immersive digital and app-centric society," he added, commenting on a new report titled "The Future of Apps", commissioned by F5 Networks, a leading application security and cloud solutions expert, which draws upon research conducted by the Foresight Factory. It also charts the rise of new app interfaces (including augmented and virtual reality) and the potential-rich influence of blockchain technologies and edge computing. Looking ahead, Foresight Factory flags critical advances in areas such as collaborative AI, where virtual assistants – and underlying apps – can communicate and act accordingly. New networks Foresight Factory anticipates far greater decentralisation as blockchain technologies and edge computing become mainstream, empowering IoT and privacy-hungry consumers.

The developmental trajectory of future apps will be heavily influenced by AI and machine learning, says a new report by F5 Networks, released ahead of the annual EMEA F5 Agility conference in Barcelona, Spain. The Future of Apps study, commissioned to The Foresight Factory, says developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning are likely to include more personalised, predictive services in areas such as cognitive health and finance. EMEA is already poised for the next wave of advances in AI, says the report. Nearly a third of surveyed respondents across Europe and South Africa say they use voice commands on their mobile devices. Already, some 10,000 third-party voice enabled apps are available for use with Amazon's Alexa at the end of Q1 2017.