Upgrading the Interface

Last week, two events took place that typically would not draw much channel interest. Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference took place in San Francisco, and without a new device launch, some wondered how exciting the event might be.  Down the coast in Los Angeles was an event even further removed from standard channel scrutiny: the Electronics Entertainment Expo, better known as E3. However, both of these events presented reminders that the way we interface with technology is changing as rapidly as anything else on the IT landscape.

Apple featured new releases of both its OS X software for Macs and its iOS software for devices.  OS X Lion brings some new features that are evolutionary steps in OS development, such as automatically saving applications and resuming the exact state of your computer on a restart. However, it introduces several revolutionary features as well:

• Multi-touch gestures are migrating from mobile devices to laptops and desktops. Microsoft is also going in this direction, as they showed with their preview of Windows 8. Multi-touch allows for a richer interface than the traditional mouse and keyboard.


• Apps are being featured in a big way, with the Mac App Store mimicking the App Store from the iPhone/iPad and Launchpad acting as the home on your computer for app management. While Google also provides apps through Android and Chrome, the interesting difference between Apple and Google is that Google’s vision is having everything run through the browser, whereas Apple’s vision is having everything in a native, self-contained app.


• AirDrop provides a way to share files wirelessly, even without a Wi-Fi network. It requires all parties to be AirDrop users, but if that requirement is met, sharing is as simple as dragging files into another user’s Downloads folder.

The new iOS 5 features also indicate massive changes in the expectations end users will have for how they work with their technology. iMessage is similar to BlackBerry Messenger in that it allows users of iOS devices to chat with each other for free. Twitter is integrated into the operating system so that users can have a single login that gives them a social component for all their apps. While Apple’s strategy leans towards an ecosystem of their products rather than open standards across all devices, the implications for user interface are still huge—even before considering their announcement of iCloud.

How do gaming systems fit into this discussion? Microsoft’s Kinect controller has been on the market for a year, offering full-motion control and voice control for living room entertainment. The product has been hacked in many ways, demonstrating the possibilities of such a system outside the gaming market. While Microsoft is tight-lipped about integrating Kinect with its other lines of business, it’s a good bet that plans are in the works. Meanwhile, Nintendo unveiled its new console/controller combination, the WiiU. The system utilizes a controller with a touchscreen that can be used to play games with a TV or standalone, as well as do video calls or share pictures from the controller to the TV. It is certainly similar to potential uses of tablets, adding momentum to the concept of an additional device being incorporated into standard use.

CompTIA research has found indications that new user interfaces could lead to new ways of doing business. Data from our upcoming 3^rd Annual Small and Medium Business Technology Adoption Trends shows that 43 percent of companies with an outdated operating system have not upgraded because they are satisfied with what they have, suggesting that a major upgrade in OS function could drive adoption. From our IT Opportunities in the Education Market study, the top technology desired by educators was interactive whiteboards, which would open up new possibilities in classroom learning. Health care providers interviewed in our 2^nd Annual Healthcare IT Insights and Opportunities study said that mobile technologies could have a significant impact in their practice, though it also would require re-thinking their workflow.

The opportunities for the channel go far beyond reselling new products or operating systems. New user interfaces will include a learning curve just to replicate basic functionality, and then there are additional learning opportunities for new applications using multi-touch gestures or voice control. The market for these new applications is growing rapidly, as evidenced by the Kinect hacks and various app stores. As consumer technology continues to influence corporate trends, solution providers should keep their minds open to new possibilities as they are use new functions on their own devices—or even as they are playing video games.