We’ve all seen the beginning convergence of smartphones and tablets into a catch-all mobile device, but a report today from a technology analysis site claims that converged devices will “replace games consoles” by 2014. This is a bold prediction in general, but it’s particularly provocative in light of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 set to hit retail just a couple of months before 2014 begins. It could just be a ploy to get some attention, of course.
Tech website S21 analyzed market trends to predict that in 2014, smartphones, phablets and tablets will merge into a device with a screen size of six inches. More interesting, however, is their claim that — based on Moore’s law — next year’s smartphones will have 8- or 16-core processors, which will enable the use of mobile devices to become a primary gaming device and “threaten the future of dedicated games consoles.”
The analysis further states that new developments in user interfaces will become increasingly important, moving beyond simple touchscreen user interfaces. In the future, voice commands, eye control and gesture recognition may play greater roles in how we interact with our phones, and we will also start to use smart watches and glasses. Artificial intelligence will become more sophisticated, with smart devices able to predict our needs and act without needing direct commands.
The article is worth a read if you’re looking for something to tickle your tech-obsessed brain this Tuesday.