MASHABLE - Technology geeks across the world are happily devouring the new iPad. Even though the newest iteration has some nice features, such as a better camera and a retina display, it isn’t revolutionary.
Mashable decided to figure out just what, exactly, will be
the next earthshaking development in the tablet sphere. We spoke with
Ari Zoldan, CEO of Quantum Networks,
to find out what he thinks the future of tablet design and development
holds. Quantum Networks specializes in 3G and 4G technologies, such as
WiMax and Long Term Evolution, or LTE.
Zoldan chose to first highlight the challenges in the way of tablet progress — namely, batteries. Zoldan doesn’t think they’re about to get any smaller any time soon.
“In terms of the actual weight and thinness (of tablets), the largest
roadblock right now is the battery size,” says Zoldan. “We’re probably
not looking at any device in the next couple years as getting any
thinner.”
So if paper-thin tablets are out, what improvements can we expect? Toughness and water-resistance, perhaps?
“I think the next focus will be an ergonomic design focused on
ruggedness,” says Zoldan. “I think some people are paying a premium for
tablets, only to be worried about tablets breaking and cracking. I just
got back from Mobile World Congress, and the big focus there was water-resistance. Everybody had big tanks of water with their tablets submerged.”
So the hardware will get better, but Zoldan doesn’t think we’ll see
any up-and coming-companies enter the hardware market in a major way.
Instead, all the innovation will happen in the app development field.
“I think the big players already dominate the hardware side. But the
[tablet] software industry is still at its genesis,” says Zoldan. “The
(tablet software) industry is wide open, and there’s going to be no
stopping it. There will be opportunities for entrepreneurs to play in
the software space.”
Zoldan says that software explosion will be boosted by the expansion of 4G networks and Near Field Communications
(NFC) technology. In fact, Zoldan believes that NFC will allow tablets
to “100% replace the wallet that you carry in your back pocket.”
“You’ll be able to go to grocery stores and be able to pay with your
tablet in totality,” Zoldan explains. “Really, the concept of currency
is going to change dramatically in the next 10 to 15 years, and it’s all
because of the tablet.”
Finally, Zoldan says that some tablet innovation has to come from
wireless companies and the federal government. He says they need to
address the spectrum crunch by finding ways to open the spectrum,
building more mobile infrastructure and expanding access for rural
customers. He also believes that wireless companies will adopt a tablet
business model similar to the one used for cellphones today, in which
users are allowed a device upgrade every few years.
“I think they’ll give tablets away for free or subsidize them,
similar to what happened in the cellphone industry. It may be based on a
subscription-based model.”
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