Future apps: Just a thought (while waiting for the pizza)

[JordiCP]

There are milions of apps over there. Some of them being big hits whilst others only having a few downloads. It is due to many factors and has been, more than once, discussed in this forum.

But my thought isn't exactly about this (just wanted to do a small intro ), but on the following


If we observe an app from the programmer's point of view, it consists of data/Subs/classes/activities and some "high level" functions which rely on some resources of the device. Let's consider these resources as:

1. Hardware I: System CPU/GPU/RAM/GHz architecture --> processing capabilities (speed)
2. Hardware II: integrated peripherals (screen, camera, GPS, wifi/3G/4G, Bluetooth, mic, touch,...)
3. Software (OS/libraries/APIs for (2))

As new devices appear,these resources become faster/better. And apps can evolute with them

For instance,
better screen + processing capabilities --> more fluid and complex games
better screen + fast internet/4G + processing capabilities --> better multimedia/internet experience
GPS+Google(or others) maps and services --> locating/tracking apps

But, the apps are basically always the same. I mean, new apps, whatever category they are, take advantage of 1) and 3) evolutions. But even if integrated peripherals (2) improve, I can't imagine "new uses" in the future due to new ones (or perhaps yes, NFC is quite recent) so it is also difficult to imagine new app categories with the existing


So what do you think? Will there appear new app categories/uses due to the evolutions of 1),2),3) ? Is there any other peripheral which makes sense to be integrated in the future?

 

[RandomCoder]

Having an engineering background I'm always impressed to see augmented reality type Apps. There's the joke type ones where you place the camera over someones hand and a spider crawls out which soon lose popularity. But then there's the really useful Apps where you can visualise what an object would look like, or if the size or color is right etc. I've seen this done with robot grippers before progressing to the expense of actual manufacture. And even sofa companies have jumped in on the act to visually what a sofa might look like in your room. What next?

 

[EnriqueGonzalez]

this topic remind me of conversation i saw somewhere over the internet and it was something like this:

if you ask a roman soldier what would the perfect weapon be, he will describe you a spear, light, sharp may be with two pikes with the perfect balance to travel farther. Of course he will never think of an Apache Copter right?

it is the same for us, how would you describe your perfect device? 12 core hardware with 1 week battery? may be holographic screen or more futuristic with the graphane? so devices more than evolving they just appear, the phenomenon is called Black Swan Theory. Apps will just pop up getting a piece of the new market,

 

[JordiCP]

this topic remind me of conversation i saw somewhere over the internet and it was something like this:

if you ask a roman soldier what would the perfect weapon be, he will describe you a spear, light, sharp may be with two pikes with the perfect balance to travel farther. Of course he will never think of an Apache Copter right?

it is the same for us, how would you describe your perfect device? 12 core hardware with 1 week battery? may be holographic screen or more futuristic with the graphane? so devices more than evolving they just appear, the phenomenon is called Black Swan Theory. Apps will just pop up getting a piece of the new market,

Sure! New technologies, new possibilities and so new solutions for user's needs

Anyway, my thought was for a "much shorter" time period considering known technologies

 

[Beja]

categories/uses due to the evolutions of 1),2),3) ? Is there any other peripheral which makes sense to be integrated in the future?

RF data xceiver ( not bloutooth).

 

[JordiCP]

Having an engineering background I'm always impressed to see augmented reality type Apps. There's the joke type ones where you place the camera over someones hand and a spider crawls out which soon lose popularity. But then there's the really useful Apps where you can visualise what an object would look like, or if the size or color is right etc. I've seen this done with robot grippers before progressing to the expense of actual manufacture. And even sofa companies have jumped in on the act to visually what a sofa might look like in your room. What next?

Yes, I have seen some really impressing AR apps! Perhaps this is one of the categoried which, even already existing, will find new uses as it becomes available for middle and low-end devices in the future

 

[JordiCP]

categories/uses due to the evolutions of 1),2),3) ? Is there any other peripheral which makes sense to be integrated in the future?

RF data xceiver ( not bloutooth).

Yes! Software Defined Radio with an API to implement whatever band/protocol/modulation would ve great!