Thread by @jmj

10 Product Predictions for 2019:

1. Instagram will become a full fledged e-commerce destination by launching the IG marketplace for buying clothes, furniture, consumer electronics, and cars. Payments will eventually be powered by the Facebook stablecoin amongst other options.

2. AirPods will continue their dominance as the most important AAPL product since the iPhone. We will see new use cases and social networks emerge as Apple opens up the AirPods API.

3. Multiple scooter companies will run out of $ as seasonality & tighter financing conditions are better understood in the spring. Uber will make an aggressive attempt to acquire the winner.

4. After failed product launches, a huge number of crypto companies will shut down & investors will question what happened to the cash. The responsible projects will return as much $ to investors as possible. Lawsuits between investors and crypto projects will become more common.

5. Technology addiction will become a social topic that finally receives the attention it deserves. Entrepreneurs will build products to solve this condition with online/offline solutions that target parents. A massive company will be built in the space.

6. We will finally reach peak D2C as Instagram ads become too expensive and consumers are overwhelmed by the number of new products they see everyday. A D2C consolidator will emerge to become the trusted curator of the space.

7. Physical security will be a growing concern for employees, students, and all citizens, as gun control makes very little progress. Security products for everyday consumers will become more necessary/popular and new products will help us feel safer at work, school, and home.

8. In a bear market, more tech employees will leave the Bay Area for financial & social reasons. Companies will realize that supporting remote teams is a requirement to stay competitive. “Remote workforce” products focused on video & voice will be built to help team productivity.

9. Income Sharing Agreements will become a larger trend with the success of Lambda School. ISA platforms will emerge in fields beyond technology as students realize that the financing model beats student debt & investors look for new investment instruments in a bear market.

10. With a huge number of IPO’s next year (Lyft, Uber, Slack, etc.), a large amount of $ will be reinvested into startups by new angels. The capital injection will help us discover a new platform and we will see transformational products built in voice, AR, and yes... even VR.