We wanted to make this year’s Tech Predictor better than last, but we didn’t know how. But never fear, we’ve found a way of taking it just one more notch above: We’re turning things up to 11.

The final edition of the year for Connected magazine is always our Tech Predictor edition. In this magazine, we take stock of the past 12 months of technological innovation before having an educated guess at what’s to come.

And this year’s theme, if you didn’t already guess, is Spinal Tap, the mockumentary classic from 1984. Last year, when we went with a Wizard of Oz (1939) theme, it just so happened that the prequel theatrical production was being turned into a movie (Wicked). Well, as we looked for themes this year, it coincidentally came out with Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025), the much-awaited (really?) sequel.

What I’m trying to get at is, if anyone has a popular-but-old film franchise that they’d like to see a sequel to, let us know and we’ll make sure it’s next year’s theme.

But back to Spinal Tap. As the AV industry is filled with musos-turned-AV geeks, why not include what is, at least in my opinion, the funniest music-related piece of media?

So, as you read each contribution, checking out at all the predictions that a wide span of people in the AV industry have for the future of tech, keep an eye out for any Spinal Tap references and Easter eggs.

But enough idle chit chat, what does the future have in store for the AV industry?

On the residential side, it’s a very interesting time to be an AV integrator. Depending on who you speak to, you get different responses about the state of the market right now. It seems like some of the middle market was eroded by financial issues, but the top end is going from strength to strength. The highest level of custom installations is driving AV innovation, from multi-purpose theatre rooms to the growth of AV on yachts.

From a commercial point of view, the AV guys continue to flex their software muscles, as the number of hard-wired devices continues to drop (read: collate into others). Where does that leave the traditional AV guy? Potentially expanding their wings? Dipping their toes into other sides of technology? Finding their voice? (If anyone has another idiom that would work here, email me: [email protected]).

That’s just a taste of what I have in store for my 2025 Tech Predictor, but you can find my predictions and several others in the following links.

So, sit back, ponder over what everyone has to say and remember the immortal quote from the film: “It’s a fine line between stupid and clever.”

• David Meyer, technical consultant
• Sarah Joyce, chief global officer, AVIXA
• John O’Brien, industry commentator, contributor to Connected magazine
• Mark Holbert, AV manager at Barker College, committee member (K-12) at the AETM
• Sean Carroll, editor, Connected magazine