Remember when I said the GUI would become the gesture-based user interface or GBUI? I mentioned Apple's (News - Alert) patents in the blog entry and now a new patent application shows Apple is looking to fuse gestures, voice, a camera and motion sensors together to create a brand new interface.

Ironically, last night I was showing some young relatives photos on an iPhone (News - Alert) and within a moment each of them took the phone and started to flip backwards and forwards through photos. This was the first time I remember not having to show someone how do what I had just done on a computer or phone. Apple's new GBUI is so easy, a 3 year-old and a 4 3/4 year-old were able to intuitively understand how to do what they wanted with no help from me at all.






It occurs to me the power of combining gestures and the above technologies if done correctly will transform how we interact with computers and as a result, at least two things will happen:

 

Of course the ball is in Apple's court and I am really interested in learning more about how new Apple products will take advantage of such interfaces. Speaking of which, there has been minimal talk of Apple making an acquisition with their cash hoard... Should they pick up Nintendo to get the Wii motion-sensing technology?

But onto grander questions - What is Microsoft doing to combat Apple's increasing dominance in the user interface game? After all, since the mouse and GUI, I don't remember Apple making a new interface leaving others in the dust. They seem to be on the verge of doing so again. Shouldn't Microsoft (News - Alert) be worried? Last time it took about 11 years for Microsoft to catch up with Apple. If it takes that long this time along, the company should just stick a fork in its desktop OS business.

Moreover, although I was a reluctant Vista user at first and have gotten used to the new OS, it seems the majority of users are rebelling. Microsoft has never been so vulnerable and if Apple keeps making interface leaps and patents them, how will Microsoft catch up?