The Future Needs to Focus On No Screens, Not New Screens.
I’ve been waiting 10 years for the ultimate technology— a single computer to replace all my devices and adapt to my every need. But it’s still not here.
That’s not to say there haven’t been attempts. The Motorolla Atrix tried in 2011, then in 2016 Microsoft announced Continuum — but we haven’t heard anything since, and today there’s Samsung’s DeX, which is yawn-worthy at best. Strange names aside, these systems’ biggest shortcoming is that they only focus on screens. Each treats your phone as the ecosystem’s brain and the monitor as an appendage of it — which is both limiting and outdated.
Today, we use a multitude of screen-less devices to be productive. If we add these into this brain-and-appendage computer metaphor we can create a digital ecosystem that frees up our wallets, our hands and our minds to be less wasteful and more present throughout the day instead of being locked to screens. Here’s how it works.
Separate the smart from the phone.
To create a more freeing, mobility-inducing system we have to stop thinking of smartphones as “the” device, and instead consider how we truly use them today: half the time we’re checking social media or texting, the other half we’re answering an email. The smartphone is becoming another mobile screen we use to entertain us when we’re bored, versus the digital kingpin it once was. And you might never need to pick it up at all — as Huge CEO Aaron Shapiro mentions in his article here — if you have the right accoutrements. All of this points towards a trend: phones are steadily morphing into just another appendage, and its us who are becoming the brains of the ecosystem.
Our preferences, content and software are what really matter, not screens. Because of this the digital ecosystem of the future will need a core device that acts as your digital duplicate to easily store and carry your info. It won’t itself be a smartphone but will be able to connect to one — or any other device. This digital core will be the brain and contain your personal data — like passwords, wallets, keys and loyalty programs— as well as the processing power.
You’re the computer.
Placing the core — which could be the size of a watch face — in your pocket turns your body into the computer and all your devices into shells it communicates with. Once on your person, you’ll never need to touch the core again while mobile. It’ll beam experiences to your screens and wearables so you can make a call or play a game as you commute — all while the core stays put and learns your data. Wherever you go, your info and preferences go with you — including AirBnB’s, retail stores and rental cars. And at any workspace monitor, dock the core to enjoy full-screen computing.
Hassle, bye.
Placing all of the power in one central device allows for a modular ecosystem that is less wasteful. One of the smartphone era’s biggest sins is being locked into the never-ending upgrade cycle for a slew of devices. But by centralizing user data and processing within the core, consumers would have far less to replace. They could upgrade their core and enjoy a boost in speed and capabilities across all devices it powers, prolonging their usefulness while reducing waste and spending.
There’s also less managing and adjusting of devices. Since your earbuds can easily access the core for music, alerts or calls, keep them in even at work. When you need to take a call leave everything at your desk and simply walk away: the core will automatically Bluetooth it to your ears and wrist while it stays plugged into your work station. And since the majority of processing happens only in the core, your devices’ batteries will last longer. Best of all, by shrinking the computer to a wearable, all experiences within your day — from a retail display to your smart home — automatically adjust to you.
Brilliant home.
After work, the core gets even smarter by accessing our personal data stored inside. Approaching your home would automatically unlock the front door and set your Nest to the desired temperature. Walking inside would pause Spotify and send your earbuds updates about package deliveries, maintenance appointments, and even groceries you need.
In the living room, docking the core into your home monitor turns one screen into three systems: it’s your home desktop computer, video game console and TV surfer. The only thing you need to choose is your engagement level: lean in close to browse the internet, sit a few feet away for video games, or lay back and get comfy for the next episode of Godless.
Multi-device usage will still be possible without needing two separate cores since there’s always an active and passive screen. Want to work while watching TV in the background? Undock the core from your home monitor and pair it with a tablet. The monitor is still connected to the internet, even without the core, so it’ll idly play TV while the core powers your tablet screen.
Ten more years?
The question is when we’ll see this. The “appendage” part of the ecosystem is already here: we have smart toys that can handle everything I’ve described, especially if you consider what Bluetooth 5 will enable. All we’re missing is the core — a tiny personal computer that’s as powerful as our laptop — and we’re not as far away as it seems. Only a year since Series 2, Apple Watch Series 3 is 70% more powerful than its predecessor and can make calls and run apps without a smartphone, making it a self-sustaining computer. With wearables replicating smartphones, it won’t be long before they’re replicating laptops.
The winning products of tomorrow will answer these questions: how do we make screen-less computing as engaging and productive as our phones and laptops? How do we wirelessly send computing power between devices? How much info in your ear is too much vs. not enough? Can voice control go beyond Alexa and Siri to enable real productivity?
And they’ll arrive just in time. Our cluttered lives will need this new type of digital ecosystem for its emotional and mental benefits, too. Time will continue to get spent more on managing devices and less on taking 5 minute walks outside. By embracing a screen-freeing future, we’ll begin approaching a lifestyle that allows us to stay as productive as we need but lets us get away from desks and chairs and enjoy the now. After all, life’s about experiencing the world, not just seeing it through a window.
