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What will be the future of desktop interfaces?
I feel that the mobile user interfaces has been developed and changed immensly compared to desktops, when it comes iOS and Android. While Windows has pushed some controversial but interesting features, macOS and Linux DEs has been kind of stagnant. Has desktop interfaces reached its peak form? Or is there more developments to come?
Considering how much we're influenced by sci-fi, I'd say that in terms of UI there won't be much changes in the desktop-based interfaces.
The next big shift will probably be getting rid of the screens entirely. Google tried too early but I think that wearable UI are going to be the right direction for lots of applications.
I think that some sort of HMD will be the catalyst to push the next innovations in UI design. Eventually we will see monitorless desks with a wearable display that will need some sort of new UI to drive it. I don't think standard monitor based desktop design will change much until then.
I customize my desktop, and I think those who care about it also do. I think we might see some interesting features, but people don't really like change, so I find it unlikely that those will stick around, unless exceptional.
I can't see any major desktop paradigm shifts in the works. But that's the thing about paradigm shifts, they're hard to see coming. I think we're in the mature stages of desktop interfaces.
This probably doesn’t answer the question, but keep an eye on Brett Victor’s work.