The iPhone was a test run for a new world of personal computing. I would like to think Apple will parlay the success of the iPhone into advances in the mobile market by simply increasing the size of the screen and likely minor improvements in the processing power. The supposed iSlate is only a rumor at the moment, but at this point Apple would likely not risk losing its current, natural marketing momentum. When this device finally does appear, it will look very familiar to all of us.
It’s a genius move actually: Test the concept by creating a small pocket-sized device that improves heavily on one market (smart phones) while using the knowledge gained to support another fledgling market (true mobile and multi-touch computing).
A majority of the surrounding discussions are pushing the importance of the device’s performance specifications. This could not be further from the cornerstone of this discussion. The importance of this discussion focuses on what experience the device will provide. To understand this notion we must begin with OS X.
OS X is a wonderful operating system based around keyboard and mouse/trackpad input. Around the OS, Apple has wrapped very specifically designed set of hardware. Software on this OS takes great advantage of the power of the hardware and the available methods of input. Unfortunately our fat fingers don’t fall into one of these input methods on this OS. Apple does have another OS which does. The iPhone operating system can provide a very useful, very familiar experience. The hardware on such a device will be designed just as any other Apple device. Quality hardware will be provided, but its speed will be limited to something slightly more powerful than the current iPhone. Why would it need to be any better? Developers haven’t even yet begun to take full advantage of all the hardware which exists in such a small package to date. The strength of this device will be the applications which exist upon it. Applications exist by the thousands on the iPhone. With minor adjustments, most could thrive just as well, if not better on a larger screen.
My experience using tablets in and of themselves has never been pleasurable, or useful for that matter. Simply slapping a touch screen on any of the current OS’s in the market does not add to the usefulness of a computing device. You’ve simply succeeded in transferring the mouse from the desk to the screen. Consumers often forget the benefits received by quality design of the user’s interface. By simply increasing the size of the screen but keeping the standard iPhone interface, a new market is not built. Rather an old market is expanded. Users do not need to take the time to learn new means of interaction because they are completely familiar with a similar device. iPhone developers are (and so too will iSlate developers) forced – some willing, some unwilling – into a pattern of design which was created by Apple to improve usefulness and usability (efficiencies) in touch screen computing.
Apple has created a world where they control the experience. Some may not like it initially, but eventually we will all be drawn in.