Thanks to Oracle

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/apex/application-express/oracle-application-express-sod-1596338.pdf

Oracle Application Express 5.2 will focus on both new features and enhancements to existing functionality, and it is planned to incorporate the following:

• Remote SQL Data Access – Extend common components such as Interactive Grids, Classic Reports and Charts to interface with data stored in remote databases using ORDS and REST.

• REST Service Consumption – Provide declarative methods to define references to external REST APIs and generic JSON data feeds and to use these references as data sources for Interactive Grids, Reports and Forms.

• Declarative App Features – Introduce a new Create App Wizard that allows for adding components and app features to new and existing applications

• Interactive Grid enhancements – Add additional reporting capabilities such as Group-By and Pivot, support for subscriptions and computations, flexible row height and general UI improvements.

• Page Designer – Provide client-side wizards for the creation of more complex components like Dynamic Actions, Forms and Shared Components, User interface improvements.

• Upgrade Oracle JET and jQuery – Adopt the most recent versions of the integrated JavaScript libraries to take advantage of new Data Visualizations such as Gantt charts and new Form widgets and controls.

• New REST Workshop – Provide declarative methods to support the development of ORDS enabled REST web services, taking advantage of the latest features and functionality of ORDS.

• Packaged Applications – Improved framework and enhancements to the packaged applications