Apple is full of innovation and their innovation inspires people, me included, to look into the future of hardware and software. They have a unique way to look at what the people want and are famous for their simplicity in look and feel. The innovations mentioned could not only about Apple but could also be implemented by other brands. But Apple seems the most interesting because they seem to have the most integrated platform. What will the future bring?

Mediacenter

Source: Nano 3G review appleinsider

At the beginning this year Apple launched the Apple TV. They later described it as a hobby project. But their goals with it are serious. With the macs, iTunes and iPods they want to conquer the media space. But the latest generation of iPods makes something clear: The iPod itself is the media center that connects to any TV. Okay, HD output is not yet possible but while connected it displays a nice TV menu and easy navigation even on older TVs. With the dock and Remote you can control your library from your couch.

But what about the wifi in the recent iPod Touch and iPhone? It should be possible to stream video to and from the iPod. You should be able to bring video to friends and connect with bonjour technology to share your personal media like photos and movies which is already possible with macs/pcs with iTunes and apple TV.

Screensharing

Screensharing could become the new norm for anything screenbased. Why not send a video/photo slideshow/keynote/powerpoint/videochat to any screen? Why not an Apple TV light that can connect to any TV/beamer and use wifi technology so you can connect with it wirelessly. Just like the Apple TV now can stream video off your mac/pc. Suddenly beamer troubles are a thing of the past and anything can connect. This could be the next HDMI cable. You could use your iPod touch as mediasource and maybe even use its screen and accelerometer as gaming device. All the groundwork is already there.

Universal Remote

With the wifi technology and bonjour auto discovery and the just announced location aware technology Apple could create a universal remote application. Why not control your airport express audio in your home or control the mood in the room with new color led lights? Or schedule a series downloads on you mac? Or control a keynote/powerpoint presentations on multiple screens?

.Mac enables you in Leopard to connect to computers and spotlight search through them. So why not control your home computer away from your home on your iPhone/iPod. Maybe with an iPhone adapted interface for finder/spotlight to transfer/show files.

The iPod Touch/iPhone could become your personal assistant that can control multiple appliances. But I think for this the touch based devices need an open SKU so anyone can built on it. It is inevitable Apple will release one when it is mature.

Multitouch

iMovie 08 created big controversies because the total rebuild. I see it as preparations for a multitouch mac. A bigger screen for easy content creation. The skimming feature in both iMovie and iPhoto and the easier drag and drop interface make multitouch easier. Also new applications like mainstage seem to hint to multitouch thinking.

Ofcourse you should also look out for any full screen interface like front row, coverflow, time machine and new apple apps like MainStage. They certainly look as prime candidates for multitouch navigation. I think multitouch is one of the reasons why Apple is so obsessed about coverflow.

If Apple releases a multitouch mac the iLife suite will be their first app to run on it. So any interface change will be a hint if multitouch is coming or not.

More integrated OS

Time machine

Preparations for better interfaces have been made in Leopard with Core Animation. New systemwide to-dos, iCal calendar, file previews (quicklook), already systemwide music, photos, video, search, passwords, email should make a new graphical interface possible that uses all the existing content. Apple experiments lightly with frontrow, dashboard, coverflow and time machine and in smaller degrees with fullscreen view in garageband and iPhoto.

We can only wait for a new integrated interface that can be summoned just like frontrow. But the question on which concept they will base the interface. Personal life, planning & GTD, contacts, entertainment? A single focus does not seem to be possible. Maybe different contexts can be switched, like frontrow is for passive entertainment and maybe iLife fullscreen interface for media creation.

More quick thoughts soon about the iPhone, location awareness (starbucks/GPS), tablet mac, iTunes store, servers etc.

Image source: apple.com (except when mentioned)