People have been wondering for a while what the future of mobile devices will be. Is it just a fad? Are all those Android (Java) and Apple (iOS) developers wasting their time?
Here is my prediction: In 6-8 years from now the standard consumer laptop as we know it will no longer exist. 6-8 years from now tablet computers, such as the the iPad, will be as powerful and capable as today's laptop, but in the form factor, lightness, and excellent user interface of a tablet. Here are the clues I see that make me believe this:
- Apple, Google, Samsung, and others are spending a ton of money on the hardware and software that goes into these tablets that allow them to have faster and better processors, to be capable of holding more memory, to be lighter and more ergonomic, and other improvements. This kind of spending usually leads to a product that can do more and be tons more useful for consumer and business use over a few years of time.
- Current laptop manufacturers are trying to make today's laptop a bit more like all these touch screen devices however they can. Why? Because, consumer demand is pointing away from today's laptops and running towards iPad, Samsung smart phones, Androids and other touch screen devices that are light weight yet have a better user interface.
- Star Trek. Yup, I am going there. The advanced technology on Star Trek has inspired thousands of engineers, scientists, developers and others involved in making better products and toys. Those touch pads, like on The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, are a shinning example of people in the real world making Star Trek technology come true. Another example are cell phones. On the original Star Trek series (back in the 1960's) Captain Kirk was using a communication device that happens to look a lot like a cell phone. Coincidence? I think not.
- Tablet computers have a good screen size. A programmer has a lot of room to develop many useful and fun apps, and there are some very excellent apps coming out that take advantage of this screen size. This will make tablet computers more useful for consumers, thus keeping the demand for them coming year after year.
- There are a lot of good accessories coming out. For example, there is a keyboard that you can roll up that makes having an iPad more useful for Human touch and efficiency.
- The technical community does not support a product that plain out sucks. But, the technical community will support a product that is being done well. So, does mobile computing have the technical community support? Yes! To see that there are so many software developers developing better and more useful apps, and to see the number of hardware manufacturers that are creating useful accessories grow shows that mobile devices, thus mobile application development, has this support.
In short, the future of consumer computing is a tablet or something very similar. All we have to do is keep buying them, so the manufacturers can develop the technology to make this all come true.
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