Yep, it seems that things are going in that direction. But I do wonder if it will stay that way because way too many programmers nowadays take job hopping for their birthright.

I am personally semi-okay with a strong specialization and several big areas -- IMO it's about time for that because way too many colleagues bite more than they can chew (me included) on a regular basis.

If these trends pave the way for programmer formal certification I'd support that as well.