Apple Working on 'Next Generation' Media Applications

[MacRumors]

Apple's job postings are usually pretty unremarkable. Over the years, Apple has learned to keep from posting anything too revealing as they know that people are watching their every move. A recent job listing for a software engineer, however, seems unusually enticing to us.

Apple is looking for an engineer to work on a team "tasked with creating the next generation application for manipulating media". They are looking for someone to be involved in creating "new user interfaces" with the purpose of "allowing the user to manipulate content in new and exciting ways".

While the job listing remains sufficiently vague, it does raise some interesting possibilities. User interface design is a topic that runs to Apple's core. Ever since the original Macintosh introduced the mouse/window interface to the masses, UI has been a point of pride for Apple. "Next generation" interfaces could mean anything, but with Apple's focus on multi-touch interfaces as well the leaked images of a multi-touch trackpad, our imaginations jump right towards those possibilities.

Leaked photos of a multi-touch trackpad peripheral

Article Link: Apple Working on 'Next Generation' Media Applications

 

[Donz0r]

These next few years are going to be very exciting, I presume

 

[iBug2]

These next few years are going to be very exciting, I presume

Indeed. Touch coming to desktop, I can't imagine the possibilities with the new interfaces.

For example I bet Final Cut Pro would be amazing to use with touch.

 

[gizmogirl8919]

no it is going to be boring

 

[dnaida]

i need something exciting
although, i am excited using my magic mouse

 

[NightFox]

I've never understood why Apple advertise these vacancies, especially considering their obsession with secrecy. I mean just about every other blue chip company fills their high-profile positions through agencies or head-hunters, the only jobs they tend to advertise are for 'the workers'

 

[Chintan100]

I just read through the job description and found nothing exciting enough to be front page news.

 

[cvaldes]

no it is going to be boring

Yes, especially for AAPL shareholders.

Record profits, marketshare gains, increased EPS, blah blah blah. Same old stuff.

 

[crees!]

I would use a trackpad like that over a mouse any day.

 

[JamonBull]

Desktop machines with touch is not going to happen. Ever. It is the single most ridiculous concept I have ever heard Apple fans push for. This is so for two reasons.

1) To make a touch user interface comfortable and worthwhile, you need to be sitting quite close to the screen. Try sitting within 30cm of a 27" iMac and seeing how long you can go without getting eye strain or a splitting headache from the LED screen.

2) Now try sitting at a recommended distance from the machine, but pretending to touch the screen for any longer than a few minutes. If your arm can withstand the strain, then congrats, because mine certainly can't. It is the most unnatural feeling ever.

Whoever likes touch screen computers, go buy a iPad! You can have all the fun you want but lying in the comfort of your bed! For Mac users, bring on a big ol' touch pad please!

 

[notromeel]

this is where the future is - NOT with a touch screen desktop. next step is creating a desktop OS that works well with this Touch Pad.

 

[diddl14]

Let's dream a bit...

Imagine an 24" or 27" iMac with Retina display (326dpi), powered by a bunch of A4 processors, all running in parallel, running iOS 5.0 as your personal iCloud.

The desktop itself is complete 3D and seamless integrated with the optional MobileCloud services. You no longer need to sync apps between devices. You just navigate on whatever iThingy to where you parked the app and continue with what it is you were doing.

Oh yeah, before I forget. As all Apps are touch based, a mouse won't do anymore. This is where the new iTouch-Pad comes in.

Ok, time to wake up.
My wife tells me dinner is ready

 

[ValSalva]

Desktop machines with touch is not going to happen. Ever. It is the single most ridiculous concept I have ever heard Apple fans push for. This is so for two reasons.

1) To make a touch user interface comfortable and worthwhile, you need to be sitting quite close to the screen. Try sitting within 30cm of a 27" iMac and seeing how long you can go without getting eye strain or a splitting headache from the LED screen.

2) Now try sitting at a recommended distance from the machine, but pretending to touch the screen for any longer than a few minutes. If your arm can withstand the strain, then congrats, because mine certainly can't. It is the most unnatural feeling ever.

Whoever likes touch screen computers, go buy a iPad! You can have all the fun you want but lying in the comfort of your bed! For Mac users, bring on a big ol' touch pad please!

I agree. Touch is like doing something on a computer. A mouse/pointer is like being in the computer; it's much more precise.

I'll believe touch will take over the desktop when crayons start replacing pens for taking notes, writing letters, etc.

 

[joelmejiaganan]

Desktop machines with touch is not going to happen. Ever. It is the single most ridiculous concept I have ever heard Apple fans push for. This is so for two reasons.

1) To make a touch user interface comfortable and worthwhile, you need to be sitting quite close to the screen. Try sitting within 30cm of a 27" iMac and seeing how long you can go without getting eye strain or a splitting headache from the LED screen.

2) Now try sitting at a recommended distance from the machine, but pretending to touch the screen for any longer than a few minutes. If your arm can withstand the strain, then congrats, because mine certainly can't. It is the most unnatural feeling ever.

Whoever likes touch screen computers, go buy a iPad! You can have all the fun you want but lying in the comfort of your bed! For Mac users, bring on a big ol' touch pad please!

Touch SCREENS are not going to desktop, but touch panels DO. This is the immediate future.

 

[CyberBob859]

Not touch - gestures

Desktop machines with touch is not going to happen. Ever. It is the single most ridiculous concept I have ever heard Apple fans push for. This is so for two reasons.

1) To make a touch user interface comfortable and worthwhile, you need to be sitting quite close to the screen. Try sitting within 30cm of a 27" iMac and seeing how long you can go without getting eye strain or a splitting headache from the LED screen.

2) Now try sitting at a recommended distance from the machine, but pretending to touch the screen for any longer than a few minutes. If your arm can withstand the strain, then congrats, because mine certainly can't. It is the most unnatural feeling ever.

Whoever likes touch screen computers, go buy a iPad! You can have all the fun you want but lying in the comfort of your bed! For Mac users, bring on a big ol' touch pad please!

I don't think you're going to see touch interfaces on desktop OS/X machines. However, I do think Apple is working on ways to bring gestures to mainstream use. They are slowly moving that way with multitouch trackpads on laptops, and that larger trackpad could mean other, more sophisticated gestures are on the way.

 

[iBug2]

Desktop machines with touch is not going to happen. Ever. It is the single most ridiculous concept I have ever heard Apple fans push for. This is so for two reasons.

1) To make a touch user interface comfortable and worthwhile, you need to be sitting quite close to the screen. Try sitting within 30cm of a 27" iMac and seeing how long you can go without getting eye strain or a splitting headache from the LED screen.

2) Now try sitting at a recommended distance from the machine, but pretending to touch the screen for any longer than a few minutes. If your arm can withstand the strain, then congrats, because mine certainly can't. It is the most unnatural feeling ever.

Whoever likes touch screen computers, go buy a iPad! You can have all the fun you want but lying in the comfort of your bed! For Mac users, bring on a big ol' touch pad please!

Touch on desktop is not touching the screen. It's multitouch trackpads on desktop computers. Maybe look at the picture in the original post?

Multitouch trackpads are speeding things a lot compared to mouse. So getting a quite large multitouch trackpad for desktops is a great way to speed workflow in pro apps.

 

[CFreymarc]

I've never understood why Apple advertise these vacancies, especially considering their obsession with secrecy. I mean just about every other blue chip company fills their high-profile positions through agencies or head-hunters, the only jobs they tend to advertise are for 'the workers'

Whenever you see an advertisement like this from Apple, it is my experience that is has already been moved off the critical product line and into prototypes with R&D. I'm sure some MIT Media Lab post-grad will walk right into a position like this.

 

[chim9999]

why don't you try getting a relationship with a phone company that actually works on launch day first.

 

[mtrctyjoe]

hmmmm new Apple input device ....

The last thing I am going to get excited about is a new Apple input device

 

[notabadname]

Desktop machines with touch is not going to happen. Ever. It is the single most ridiculous concept I have ever heard Apple fans push for. This is so for two reasons.

1) To make a touch user interface comfortable and worthwhile, you need to be sitting quite close to the screen. Try sitting within 30cm of a 27" iMac and seeing how long you can go without getting eye strain or a splitting headache from the LED screen.

2) Now try sitting at a recommended distance from the machine, but pretending to touch the screen for any longer than a few minutes. If your arm can withstand the strain, then congrats, because mine certainly can't. It is the most unnatural feeling ever.

Whoever likes touch screen computers, go buy a iPad! You can have all the fun you want but lying in the comfort of your bed! For Mac users, bring on a big ol' touch pad please!

Doesn't mean you can't use touch instead of a mouse, in the same way I do with my MBP. Pawing around the desk with a mouse is so "80's". I use a Kensington Blade trackball to avoid the "pawing", but would rather have a touch interface for my Mac Pro that mimics my MBP.

 

[TRAG]

Indeed. Touch coming to desktop, I can't imagine the possibilities with the new interfaces.

For example I bet Final Cut Pro would be amazing to use with touch.

I agree. Touch is like doing something on a computer. A mouse/pointer is like being in the computer; it's much more precise.

I'll believe touch will take over the desktop when crayons start replacing pens for taking notes, writing letters, etc.

Don't mean to burst your bubble, but isn't this exactly what the MB and MBPs do? I mean touch for a desktop sounds great and all, and I much prefer the touchpad when computing, but I doubt it will feel very "new".

 

[zyzays]

Well, their asses should start working on my white iPhone 4.

 

[JamonBull]

Touch on desktop is not touching the screen. It's multitouch trackpads on desktop computers. Maybe look at the picture in the original post?

Ah yes, you're quite right. I got a bit carried away there didn't I haha. I assumed you were pro touch screen in desktops haha. Didn't take into account that 'touch' can mean trackpad or touchscreen. As I said though, bring on the desktop touch pad!

 

[Arnia]

I, personally, still believe that direct manipulation interfaces, where ever possible, are a good thing.

I came across this project the other day. Now, it is still an academic research prototype, but it seems like it would be nice to introduce it as an interface device. I think it would be particularly useful when used as an interface with certain media editing methods.

Now, these things can be done with a mouse but I believe that (with artistic tasks in particular) the closer, more personal relationship with the data that direct manipulation interfaces provide will improve the workflow.

 

[carmenodie]

Like Chuck D said don't believe the hype!
They already have this person. It is a trick. Apple has tons of engineers under their cathedral roof.