The browser as we know it is done. Welcome the browsers

Yesterday Gemini had an interesting round table on the trends of the web. One of the elements that stimulated a strong conversation was the question of the future of the browser. I took time to say a few words, but i am not i could really make my point. So there you go...

Except the fact that no one really knows what a browser really is, any internet user know that to access the web you need this piece of software. The rise of the mobile web and specially web applications makes us more aware the requirement of a browser to access the web might soon disappear. Surfing the web will become less browser dependent.

One thing is clear in my mind. Web services will have to provide multiple access of to their users to satisfy different consumption mode. Screen Size, ergonomy and internet speed (both depending on hardware capability and bandwith access) are key in making you decide what interface makes more sense. For example on my Mac i can access gmail both through my browser or in IMAP via a mail client. I chose the browser because of speed. On the iPhone i can access it via safari or the mail client. I use the mail client because it is faster and the experience is better.

If you take news, it is even more complex. You can decide to read a content site via your browser on your computer, but also via RSS (if made possible) or even via Twitter when there is a feed, or simply via a news agregator like Google news or Wikio, or simply via shared news on your social network. But you can also decide to download an iPhone specific app to access your content (eg the NY times has one) or even an Adobe AIR application for your computer to access it out of the browser.

At the end of the day. It is not to the service to decide what makes sense to the user. The best way is to anticipate the potential consumption channels and give them as an option to your users. They will decide what makes sense.

At the end of the day all those access points replace the role of a browser to give you access to the internet. The context makes you decide what is best for you. A clear trend is that internet services are not only consumed on their own property. The dissemination is key to success but consumption patterns evolve on depending on the platform and the situation.

YouTube recently created YouTubeXL so you can view youTube conveniently on a TV screen. i have no doubt Gmail will offer a native iPhone app and that most web services will create gateways with Boxee for tomorrow's TV and with main video games console which are also become browsers in their own right.

Someone asked yesterday the question of whether on mobile Apps are the new browsers? They definitely solve the conveniency issue. Over time MAYBE web apps via browser will be as good as native apps. But i don't think so. Why? just look at your computer. You still need offline access, conveniency of usage, compartimentation of your life. And they are data you don t want online.

My Friend Tariq Krim has created Jolicloud which solves party the problem by creating an OS which is a browser for web apps. You open your laptop and you are on. Every single app in itself is a little browser.

The uniqueness of the browser as an internet access point is done. The browsers are taking up.


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