The Future of Web Use: Something We Need to Think About

It has been a couple of days that I have been mulling over the future impact of the web development and design.

With so many different devices being able to connect to the internet, what are our future considerations for design, development and usability.

I think we have all viewed our sites, at least once or twice via an iPhone, or via other mobile web devices such as the PSP, or even the Archos media player. Now, we even have games consoles offering web browser interfaces into the mix. The Wii is now giving away an Opera browser for free, and the PlayStation 3, the PSP and the PSPgo with internet connectivity too, how long before Microsoft deliver a version of Internet Explorer for the Xbox 360?

There are also TV’s that now use Yahoo! Widgets, will we see tv’s with built in browsers common place? Remember the impact Teletext had in the UK? – What a way to keep your TV schedule up-to-date and receive viewing recommendations based on your current viewing habbits? What about BBC’s iPlayer or 4 on Demand straight to your TV?

Nearly every new mobile phone has connectivity to the internet – but is that just for social media (Facebook, Twitter)? Are you going to make a major purchase like a holiday on your iPhone? Were this not the same questions and queries we had when we first started selling things via the internet on desktop machine?

Do we need to consider re-designing our sites, text size use of images for these new mediums? Do we want to see a new media type for console?

What will it be like navigating sites, purchases and research with a Wii remote, or a triangle, circle, square or cross, or even the (X) blue, (Y) yellow, (B) red and (A) green?

We are the current field of designers and developers and the forefront of these challenges. These will be our challenges, and I’m interested in this (I also think it would be a great excuse to get your boss to buy multiple consoles for your web and eCommerce teams!). What are your thoughts on this issues?

These thoughts and ideas are inspired from the comments of Sitepoint.com – Surf the Wii for Free! by Craig Buckler.