Future of apple's touch devices?

[DKatri]

So I read an article that compared Mirco$ofts approach to multi-touch to Apple's and they pointed out that Micro started big with things like surface and then working their way to smaller devices like windows phone 7 series and zune. Apple on the other hand have started with smaller devices like the iPhone and the iPod touch and working up to bigger devices like the iPad. My question is, how long do you think it will be before we see a proper desktop OS on a multi touch device from apple, be it a SlateMac or maybe a MacBookTouch. Or will the iPad eventually get its own, more powerful OS?

 

[Streethawk]

So I read an article that compared Mirco$ofts approach to multi-touch to Apple's and they pointed out that Micro started big with things like surface and then working their way to smaller devices like windows phone 7 series and zune. Apple on the other hand have started with smaller devices like the iPhone and the iPod touch and working up to bigger devices like the iPad. My question is, how long do you think it will be before we see a proper desktop OS on a multi touch device from apple, be it a SlateMac or maybe a MacBookTouch. Or will the iPad eventually get its own, more powerful OS?

I dont think that larger touch screens work. Anything that involves whole arm movement rather than hand/wrist is just too tiring to use for extended periods.

 

[avaloncourt]

I dont think that larger touch screens work. Anything that involves whole arm movement rather than hand/wrist is just too tiring to use for extended periods.

You might want to send a memo over to Microsoft about their table. Apparently they haven't figured out that one yet. That, combined with the price, might be a factor as to why it hasn't been embraced really at all.

 

[DKatri]

You might want to send a memo over to Microsoft about their table. Apparently they haven't figured out that one yet. That, combined with the price, might be a factor as to why it hasn't been embraced really at all.

Yeah $50K is a bit crazy!

But I suppose its more for businesses right now.

I really like the idea of syncing my phone or taking pictures off my camera by just dropping it on a coffee table though.

 

[Bodhi395]

So I read an article that compared Mirco$ofts approach to multi-touch to Apple's and they pointed out that Micro started big with things like surface and then working their way to smaller devices like windows phone 7 series and zune. Apple on the other hand have started with smaller devices like the iPhone and the iPod touch and working up to bigger devices like the iPad. My question is, how long do you think it will be before we see a proper desktop OS on a multi touch device from apple, be it a SlateMac or maybe a MacBookTouch. Or will the iPad eventually get its own, more powerful OS?

I know there have been rumors of new iMacs at some point getting a touch screen, but I'm not sure if it would work, since the whole reason the iphone and ipad work well as touch devices, is the entire OS is designed around the user touching it. If you try to simply put a touch interface over a standard OS, like OS X you don't have the same simple user interface. OS X is designed for mouse clicking, and the user will run into all kinds of difficulty having to try and use their fingers to control the OS. That's the main reason the iPad is using the iphone OS and not the full Mac OS X.

The more likely scenario is that in the future, Apple slowly combines the iPhone OS with OS X, and that will run on full blown computers that would then have touch interfaces.

I could see an iMac/iPad hybrid type device that sits on a slight angle on your desk, has a large 20-30 inch screen, touch interface, and is as powerful as a standard iMac, and has all the functionality of a full blown computer. It would run a hybrid OS X/iPhone OS, and I think would be a truly awesome computer.

 

[darngooddesign]

I know there have been rumors of new iMacs at some point getting a touch screen, but I'm not sure if it would work, since the whole reason the iphone and ipad work well as touch devices, is the entire OS is designed around the user touching it. If you try to simply put a touch interface over a standard OS, like OS X you don't have the same simple user interface. OS X is designed for mouse clicking, and the user will run into all kinds of difficulty having to try and use their fingers to control the OS. That's the main reason the iPad is using the iphone OS and not the full Mac OS X.

The more likely scenario is that in the future, Apple slowly combines the iPhone OS with OS X, and that will run on full blown computers that would then have touch interfaces.

I could see an iMac/iPad hybrid type device that sits on a slight angle on your desk, has a large 20-30 inch screen, touch interface, and is as powerful as a standard iMac, and has all the functionality of a full blown computer. It would run a hybrid OS X/iPhone OS, and I think would be a truly awesome computer.

Unless Apple releases iLife-Touch. It would be a touch-based controller for their apps, and a simplified finder, but not a full finder replacement..

 

[Bodhi395]

Unless Apple releases iLife-Touch. It would be a touch-based controller for their apps, and a simplified finder, but not a full finder replacement..

I don't see why they wouldn't eventually release iLife touch apps, they already have iWork touch apps.

I'm also talking years down the road, not in the near future. I think the natural progression of things has been more towards touch interfaces, rather than mouse controlled. Its similar to how mouse controls slowly overtook using just a keyboard to input text and numbers into your computer.

I think in 10-15 years, mouses will probably still exist for specialized users that really need them for certain tasks, but that almost every mainstream computer will be using some sort of touch interface.