The Future of Touch
CNET had an interesting artilce about the future of touch screen technologies. As with any new technology, innovation leads to acceptance, but I had some other questions.
- Standards – who is participating in touch screen user interface standards? Apple typically has not been interested in sharing its user interface technologies with others. Microsoft is not standards minded. Do we have to learn different touch screen gestures for all of our Operating Systems and devices? Can touch screen gestures be so obvious that standards are not needed?
- Applications – how can touch screen technologies be used for educational applications? Can people learn how to apply touch screen technologies without standards? Are there universal gestures that are not copyrighted that canbe used in all applications?
- Web Accessibility – how can touch screen technologies be integrated with other accessibility technologies? Can touch screen technologies be used with other assistive technologies to produce a better user interface? Can gestures be used to help blind users find user interface objects? Can gestures be used to provide blind users with ways to identify user interface objects?
- Alternatives – will device manufacturers provide alternatives to touch screen user interfaces? Apple has not done so for the iPhone. Other phone makers are following the iPhone.
It will be interesting to watch the role standards play as touch screen netbooks, phones and other devices become available in the marketplace.