a monitorless future
What is the future of computing? and why is it AR.
As we move forward into the future, it's natural to wonder what new technologies will disrupt the computing landscape. While laptops, desktops, and handheld devices have become ubiquitous in our daily lives, recent advancements in augmented reality (AR) technology have the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with computers.
At its core, AR involves projecting images onto the real world and enabling users to interact with them. At present, AR glasses and devices are still too expensive to become household devices but I believe they represent the future of computing, just as the iPhone and iPad represented a new phase in computing.
Currently, people use computers in two ways: through laptops and desktops. Laptops are limited by pre-determined sizes and may not offer the optimal screen size or performance for certain tasks. Desktops, on the other hand, are powerful, but stationary, making them inconvenient in a hybrid work environment. This is where AR technology can offer a unique solution.
AR glasses can display virtually anything onto the user's vision, be it a screen, a 3D model, an image, or a video. Unlike laptops, screen size is not an issue with AR glasses. Users can simply make a pinching gesture with their hands to increase or decrease the screen size. In fact, the entire laptop could be replaced by a desktop with an AR-enhanced operating system, whose contents could be streamed to the AR device.
Similarly, AR glasses could solve the issue of desktops being stationary. Users can simply put on the glasses and view the contents of their desktop directly in front of them, without the need for a monitor. They can have as many screens as they wish, fixed or movable. If they need to leave the confines of the desktop, the desktop can be streamed directly to their glasses, and with the advent of 5G network speeds, this should be possible without noticeable lag.
AR glasses could also enhance online collaboration. By setting up multiple cameras in a designated area of a room, the presenter's body and movements could be captured and projected as a full or half-body feed on the viewer's end, providing a more personal and immersive experience.
In conclusion, I firmly believe that the company that can effectively replace monitors and laptops with AR glasses will change the computing landscape for years to come. AR devices are the next phase in computer technology and will become as commonplace as mobile phones. While the technology is not quite there yet, it's only a matter of time before AR devices become mainstream devices.