More Touch Devices in the Future from Apple

[MacRumors]

UBS Research analyst Alex Gauna upgraded Broadcom's stock to "buy" based on beliefs that Apple will expand the use the touch-screen technology (which is based on a Broadcom chip) to other devices:

UBS believes Apple may migrate the technology into other offerings, including iPods, notebooks and Apple's forthcoming television product, over time, Gauna wrote.

MacRumors Editor note: It seems obvious that Apple did not develop this "Touch OS X" to be used on the iPhone alone. The Touch OS X technology that is incorporated in the iPhone will almost certainly make its way into a touch iPod, and potentially into other handheld devices.

[syklee26]

thanks UBS for informing us with the inside scoop.

[Zwhaler]

Yeah well this technology can only go forawrd, so we can expect it in other devices.

[dllavaneras]

I really want a tablet or a Macbook with this technology...

[Peel]

UBS believes Apple may migrate the technology into other offerings, including iPods, notebooks and Apple's forthcoming television product, over time, Gauna wrote.

Well, unless Apple offers a 50" LCD monitor, or an overlay for my plasma TV, I don't see this coming to the Apple TV. And even if it did, what am I supposed to do, get off my butt and walk up to the TV to touch it to interact with it? How 1970s!

[Ghibli]

Originally Posted by Peel

Well, unless Apple offers a 50" LCD monitor, or an overlay for my plasma TV, I don't see this coming to the Apple TV. And even if it did, what am I supposed to do, get off my butt and walk up to the TV to touch it to interact with it? How 1970s!

Why not a touch-screen remote controller? That would be really cool...

[DamoRed]

Who says it's for the television itself? It would be used in the remote control.

Damo

[Peel]

Originally Posted by Ghibli

Why not a touch-screen remote controller? That would be really cool...

Yeah, I could see that. Though the price for the remote would go up from a couple bucks for the current apple remote, to probably $100 for the touch-screen remote. But if it were an Apple Universal Remote (Remote) that could be programmed to control ALL of my electronics, and have a great UI for doing this, that would totally rock!

That's my complaint with all the universal remotes, is that the way things are grouped together never seems to fit with my setup, or I've got one extra button that I need off of the original remote that's not duplicated, so I need to keep the original around for that one function.

[twoodcc]

Originally Posted by AppleMan101

maybe

i hope so

[Master Atrus]

I think this is kind of a "duh!" Products are always combined across other product lines. It wouldn't suprise me for Apple to develop a touch screen LCD for their computers and laptops. This way you don't have to use the keyboard or mouse all the time. Just touch the screen to open things ...

[j33pd0g]

I would like a full size touch-screen keyboard... Imagine how cool it would be to swap from keyboard layout to mixing board layout, or maybe just swap the place where your number pad is with special features/functions defined by whatever "app" you have open... the possibilities would be endless. Can't you read it now? Apple reinvents the keyboard!

[Xander562]

Originally Posted by j33pd0g

I would like a full size touch-screen keyboard... Imagine how cool it would be to swap from keyboard layout to mixing board layout, or maybe just swap the place where your number pad is with special features/functions defined by whatever "app" you have open... the possibilities would be endless. Can't you read it now? Apple reinvents the keyboard!

No, I cant... People like to push buttons. Why do you think Apple changed from the touch-sensitive buttons of the 3G iPod to the clicky buttons of the 4G and 5G (click-wheel)? The same would go for a keyboard. It would be IMMENSELY frustrating trying to type on a completely flat, non responsive surface. Although I like the idea of it changing to a number pad or a mixing board. The problem would be with the keyboard.

[Sun Baked]

Yes, I can see it make it to the iPod.

Since this will allow an expansion of capabilities, and streamline the look quite a bit.

Just as the Zune catches up (according to them), the iPhone looks a lot like what a next generation widescreen video iPod should look like.

[kansaigaijin]

the demo that showed up a few months ago indicates where this is going.

I imagine this will be alot of fun to use with Aperture, laid out flattish like a light table or vertical like "The Minority Report". You will be able to manipulate images on a giant screen with gestures, sort them, move the loupe, stretch, shrink, crop, and so on.

Build up Pages documents by dragging blocks of text and images onto a template or anywhere on a webpage or document space.

Conduct meetings as if with a white board that converts handwriting to editable text, smooths drawings done with your fingers into vectors or bitmap drawings. Manipulate Sketchup or Vectorworks on a Arch.D size palatte.

The possibilities are endless. Displays are becoming commodities with prices getting quite low even for big high res units. This kind of technology will keep Apple ahead of the rest.

[kansaigaijin]

Originally Posted by Xander562

No, I cant... People like to push buttons.

I don't. I hate buttons. Especially on something as small as the iPod.

[j33pd0g]

Originally Posted by Xander562

No, I cant... People like to push buttons. Why do you think Apple changed from the touch-sensitive buttons of the 3G iPod to the clicky buttons of the 4G and 5G (click-wheel)? The same would go for a keyboard. It would be IMMENSELY frustrating trying to type on a completely flat, non responsive surface. Although I like the idea of it changing to a number pad or a mixing board. The problem would be with the keyboard.

I think in concept it sounds frustrating... and it's safe to say that a lot of folks would get freaked out about it, but I think after using it, some would wonder how they ever got a long with out it. Imagine a keyboard where you could hit a key sharply for a lowercase, and then a quick circular motion on a key would give you the capital... cut out the shift key... of course it would still be there...

I don't know... Apple could start out with a hybrid keyboard... and it would still be pretty slick.

[Grakkle]

Originally Posted by j33pd0g

I would like a full size touch-screen keyboard... Imagine how cool it would be to swap from keyboard layout to mixing board layout, or maybe just swap the place where your number pad is with special features/functions defined by whatever "app" you have open... the possibilities would be endless. Can't you read it now? Apple reinvents the keyboard!

I want that too. Buttons are old school - let's go full touch-screen! And a touch screen replacement for a keyboard would work better than touching the actual display screen.

[miketcool]

Seems like a no brainer to me.

[synth3tik]

An Apple Power Pad maybe?

[dicklacara]

Originally Posted by Peel

Well, unless Apple offers a 50" LCD monitor, or an overlay for my plasma TV, I don't see this coming to the Apple TV. And even if it did, what am I supposed to do, get off my butt and walk up to the TV to touch it to interact with it? How 1970s!

Think!

The iPod, iPhone (or whatever) is the Universal Remote... plus some...

It controls your TV/Audio experience, plus contains your content, plus is a pretty damn good standalone phone, mp3 player, web interface, security monitor, home controller... ad nauseum.

It contains your stuff (your interface to the world and your AV) whever you go... you call up Fox News, Air America, Lost, Praire Home Companion (whatever) and it arrives (thru the magic of computers) in Inchon, Indianapolis or Ambridge, PA...

You don't adapt to the local environment... IT does! The content that interests you just comes along for the ride!

What Apple has shown us is the UI for the next 10 years... everything will be built upon its shoulders

[Keebler]

Originally Posted by j33pd0g

I would like a full size touch-screen keyboard... Imagine how cool it would be to swap from keyboard layout to mixing board layout, or maybe just swap the place where your number pad is with special features/functions defined by whatever "app" you have open... the possibilities would be endless. Can't you read it now? Apple reinvents the keyboard!

i think this is a great idea. apple could do it and it would be awesome. very cool thoughts...

[Fearless Leader]

I want to see the pinch on the touchpads. Apple you listing/reading?

[sam10685]

Originally Posted by miketcool

Seems like a no brainer to me.

agreed. steve jobs said they've patented it a lot.

[mmmcheese]

A touch screen TV huh?

I thought the reason they invented the remote control was so that I didn't have to get up to change the bloody channel!!!

[freddiecable]

as others say: a no-brainer!

but - as some also notice is that the usability for having multitouch on a cinema display is somewhat bad and even worse with apple TV etc. I believe apple will divercify this technology and make it fit depending on purpose. For ex. it would be brilliant to have a Wacom with multi-touch when working in photoshop or 3D-programs etc. As someone said earlier - if the touch-pad on the MacBooks gets the multi-touch and for example iPhoto can be manipulated like the iPhone. We already have "multi-touch" on macbooks - two fingers scrolls...

this is only the beginning - apple will take this "technology platform" and innovate where it's appropriate and we will most likely see more phones and iPods based on the iPhone as well...2.5" iPhone Nano anyone?