Bitcoin Bites, Amazon Acquires: Gene Munster’s 8 Tech Predictions For 2018

With the exception of a few expected hiccups, the trends of 2017 are seen to persist and accelerate into the new year, preserving the ranks of major tech competitors.

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) ramps its Model 3, Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL) crushes AI, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) buys Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) — it could all occur in a year’s time, according to one analyst. 

Here are the predictions of Gene Munster, managing partner of Loup Ventures:

The Thesis

• Amazon acquires Target. “Target is the ideal offline partner for Amazon for two reasons, shared demographic and manageable but comprehensive store count,” Munster said. 
• Bitcoin and competing cryptocurrencies sell off amid increased regulation, skepticism by institutional investors and operational issues across trading platforms. Despite the short-term setbacks and immediate bubble, Munster expects blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies “represent the future of storing value.”
• Tesla ramps Model 3 production from 2,500 to 150,000, but striking the estimate isn’t necessarily significant. “Short-term production numbers do not materially affect the long-term story,” Munster said. 
• Traditional automakers announce expansions to their electric vehicle lines, but plan no releases until 2019 or 2020. Meanwhile, autonomous vehicle projects quietly advance toward their 2021 target ramps.
• Artificial intelligence continues to trend and advance, driven by Google’s “Deepmind” project.
• Google Home seizes smart-speaker market share from Amazon.
• With a 30-percent mix of iPhone X and 18-percent mix of iPhone 8, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone’s average selling price pops to $740 against consensus estimates of $710.
• Virtual reality hardware goes cordless but doesn’t become mainstream until 2019.

Price Action

At the time of publication, Tesla was set to open at $311, Alphabet at $1,058.50, Apple at $169.96 and Amazon at $1,173.50.

Related Links:

What’s Next For Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum In 2018?

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