Google's Physical Web aims to make the internet of things easier to use
When it comes to smartphones, fragmentation (or as some would say, "diversity") isn't the problem it once was -- but smart objects? Well, that's a whole new issue. Most products breaking ground in the "internet of things" exist in their own walled-off ecosystem, often requiring users to download a separate app for every smart device they encounter. If physical objects are the next evolution of the web, Google says, this isn't realistic: we need an open solution. Introducing the Physical Web, Mountain View's attempt at creating a common web standard for objects. It hopes the standard will give everything from posters to rental cars a easily accessible smart experience without flooding the market with one-time-use apps.
Google's standard imagines a world where we can simply walk up to smart objects and instantly use them without the hassle of downloading apps or scanning QR codes. "We need a system that lets someone walk up and use a device with just a tap," the project's Github page explains. "This involves creating an open ecosystem where smart devices can broadcast URLs into the area around them." In theory, a smartphone will be able to detect these URLs in a similar fashion to how it picks up WiFi SSID signals, allowing users to simply select an object from a local list to interact with it directly, no app needed. Well, maybe one app -- the project is currently in the stage of an app, but Google hopes that it will eventually be a native part of all smartphone operating systems. The idea is in its infancy, but it could be a good thing if it pans out: most of our home screens are already crowded enough.
