The not too distant future of the web

by Christina Knapp

It seems like only yesterday we were surfing the net with our computers. Today more than 10+ thousand people are interacting with the web through their phones or other mobile devices. Where is this mobility taking us? What are websites of the future going to look like?

I imagine we will no longer be accessing the web through a browser on your computer. Instead it will be accessing us through applications and feeds making the "browsing" experience more customized to what you want to see. Our favorite news site will be streaming stories to us based on a few profile questions we answered on setup while also accessing our Facebook profile to update us on premier movies we might like to see. So essentially applications are the websites of the future. It won't be enough to be on the web – you must function free of it, on any device, anywhere.

Your phone will also change to become your method of payment and identification. A UK mobile phone provider is already in the process of making a contactless payment so you can just bump your phone to the payment machine and never have to carry cash or cards again.

Think of the possibilities with implanting your identification into your mobile device, you won't need to be carded anymore in bars with technologies like Foursquare using your GPS location to find out where you are. The bar can be alerted of someone under age as soon as they walk in the door. Since telling everyone where you are is so popular already I am sure no one will notice when tracking your every move is just a daily process for businesses and government alike.

This will also unlock a whole new way to advertise. You can send a coupon straight to someone's phone as soon as they enter the store or maybe even just in the vicinity. Sheetz MTO could then be ordered from your mobile device via the Internet while still in the car. And I am not talking about calling for takeout – that is so 2010.