UX observation on the future of the web browsers and the internet surfing.

1. THE FUTURE OF BROWSERS
10 steps that will improve web surfing experience
Observation by
Sergey Leskov
@Lesich

2. What will be with web surfing in the future?
Browsers has existed successfully for 25 years already.
Do we really need a special software for Internet surfing today?
Let’s take a look back...

3. 15 years ago Internet used to look like an Universe
Thousands of dispersed small personal pages and a very few web giants.
We were exploring the deep web and were finding new places every day by travelling from one site to another
Browser used to be like a starship for us

4. Now the Internet is becoming a TV
Web is shared among large social networks and content aggregators.
Every day we are switching between several content “channels” cyclically.
Browser is becoming a TV-remote

5. Smartphones are driving trends
Web is becoming more dynamic from day to day.
Mobile is making new original solutions which is being adopted by desktop systems.
86% apps
According to statistics, mobile users spend just 14% time in browser.
Actually the Facebook app is more popular, than all mobile browsers
together.
Source: http://goo.gl/idUxNC

6. Ok, what’s next?
Browser used to be as a USS Enterprise with manual transmission when we were discovering
web through millions of pages.
But how should it look today?

7. Farewell, URL
What is common between DOS command interface and an address bar?
Both of them used to be the only way of control.
Right now they are becoming instruments for professionals and are giving space for visual interface gradually.
STEP 1
We will be able to see and correct the URL in the future, but we won't need to enter it every time.

8. So, search is the new address
Now we don’t need keeping in mind hundreds of URLs because a search engine makes it better.
STEP 2
Browsers have already started redirecting non-URL queries to search engines.
instead of

9. 86% apps
Browsers “Top sites” pages were a
first step forward.
Now we should upgrade start page to
OS-like desktop. Custom icons/
widgets on websites will provide info
about its activity.
And we don't need address bar
anymore.
Source: http://goo.gl/idUxNC
Sites as apps...
Mobile platforms are progressing faster than desktops.
So, what if browsers will inherit the best features from mobile OS?
STEP 3

10. …and web browser as an OS
On every site we run into a new interfaces and patterns, so we have to remember plenty of them.
STEP 4
For example, search feature may be wherever web-designer wants But we always know where it is in operation system
If sites gave many of service features to browsers, users wouldn’t have
to remember where any button is.
So people will concentrate on a content only.

11. Less interfaces
At this moment screen space on desktops has 3 layers that requires user's attention.
They fill about 1/4 of screen space on some systems and each of them takes away place from a content.
STEP 5

12. iOS allows us to interact with every app without opening it.
So, why are we still doing this with websites?
Interactive notifications
Or why we still need to open twitter to tweet?
STEP 6

13. Desktop browser tabs can provide the mobile notifications functionality right now.

14. Smart tabs
Tabs made the breakthrough in the browsers functionality.
The time has come to create a small but significant improvement in them.
STEP 7
Once look at mobile tabs we always know what every
page contain.
Desktop browser tabs have to be grouped by resource and show full
page preview on mouseover.

15. Like is bookmark
Bookmarks are history. Literally.
Everything we shared or liked turns into bookmarks, which are sorted by categories automatically.
STEP 8
“Like” button replaces “Add bookmark”.
instead of

16. Personalized surfing
Facebook analyzes our likes to suggest us a relevant content.
Browser may do the same thing with websites.
STEP 9
Like/share history analysis makes browser able to recommend some good web resources for each user.

17. Direct Internet
With the expansion of SaaS conception there are no more boundaries between applications and web services,
so there are no differences between Microsoft Word and YouTube for the user.
STEP 10
One exists for writing texts, other is for watching funny videos, but why do we need the browser for one of them?
*SaaS - Software as a service

18. Browsers keep changing
They were the first bridges linking us and Internet.
And probably they will provide the basis for upcoming integration of online and offline.