Moving from Web Pages to Web Spaces
We began by simply replicating the centuries old 8'’ x 11'’ page and presenting it on a digital interface, mainly filled with text of varying fonts and formats, and the occasional low res image. Then we made it longer, through scrolling. Then we made it dynamic, with videos, gifs, and animations. Then we placed ads all over them and created web businesses. Then we shrunk it, and put it in everyone’s pocket. In a smaller form factor and interface, image and video exploded. Swiping and tapping replaced scrolling and typing. Now, we have hit a plateau. We’ll continue to create new applications and experiences across web and mobile but these will not be enabled by new interactions and formats, at least not on web and mobile. The closest we’ve come to innovative interactions on mobile is augmented reality with the pass through camera. While effective and somewhat entertaining, nothing has really proven to be more than a gimmick. Pokemon Go may be the one exception if it doesn’t flame out.
Virtual & Augmented Reality presents a huge opportunity to create a new type of web.
It’s important to remind ourselves that creating web spaces doesn’t mean simply replicating the real world. In the real world, we’re limited by physics, gravity, floors, ceilings, walls, distance, and cultural norms. People are familiar with the real world, so we’ll likely see digital re-creations of physical spaces in the first phase of the VR/AR web. Over time, we’ll evolve into a dynamic 360, 3D layout that will be intuitive, rich, and maximally effective. In virtual and augmented reality, we create the rules through math, psychology and science. While each platform before VR has come with perspective and technological restrictions, the rules we choose to create (or not create) are only limited by the mind. We can play god.
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