How Zero UI is Changing the Mobile Development Market

One of the most notable technological trends taking place within the past few years has been the transition away from the touchscreen.

According to statistics, 40% of US users prefer to state search queries by voice rather than typing them into the address bar on their screens, and the share of these types of users has been climbing on a yearly basis. In the near future, we will likely be able to control our gadgets not only with the help of voice and gestures, but also with the power of thought. Let’s find out if Zero UI has the power to change the mobile development industry as we know it.

Why Zero UI is the future

Hello everyone, I’m Vlad Karm, CEO of Sunrise Apps, a digitally managed mobile and web development company. Today I’d like to talk to you about the era we are heading into, an era when the classic User interface is no longer the main way a user interacts with his device.

In previous publications, we have already touched on the concept of ‘ideality’ and ‘the ideal end result. As you know, the ideal system is the absence of a system. What I mean by that is there is no system in and of itself, but rather all its functions are performed on their own. By this logic, the ideal user interface is the lack of an interface. And with each new generation, the gadgets creators keep taking one step after another in that direction.

Siri voice assistant, Face ID, smart speaker, fitness tracker, virtual reality glasses, and smart home system are all harbingers of a new era — the era of devices with zero interface, Zero UI.

Today, when a user buys a new smartphone or installs an unfamiliar mobile application, the user needs some time to get the hang of how everything works in it and which buttons to press to get the result they’re looking for. But imagine a user unpacking a new gadget and explaining to the gadget what needs to be done. No instructions, no manuals, no screencasts. There is no need for you to have to figure out an unfamiliar interface at all. Rather, on the contrary, it is the job of the ‘smart’ device or application to quickly learn to understand the needs of its owner. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Today, the concept of Zero UI implies device management using:

• voice,
• gestures,
• facial expressions,
• touching.

But these are just the first few steps. Experts associate the real heyday of zero interfaces with the ability to send signals to gadgets directly from their brains. And that day is likely coming much sooner than you think.

Leading technology companies and even Elon Musk himself are working on making that happen as we speak. At the beginning of 2022, Elon Musk’s company Neuralink began testing a technology that would provide the basis to connect the human brain to an electronic device. It naturally follows that in the future this technology should help people who are impaired in their sight, hearing or their ability to move.

Another striking example is Snap Inc. Last year, they acquired NextMind, a startup best known for its self-titled controller, which utilizes brain signals to move images on a PC interface.

Why are electronic device manufacturers so intrigued by the prospect of moving away from classic visual interfaces in favor of Zero UI?

• Personal approach: the device adapts not to an abstract user but, instead, to the specific person.
• Simplicity and convenience for the user.
• Cut back on the time required to use gadgets.
• Reduce the degree to which users are physically bound to their devices.

In the past few years, the technology community has made significant headway in the field of AI technologies, the Internet of Things, Machine Learning, and Data Science. And this paves the way for tremendous opportunities for the transition to Zero UI in all areas from the production of household appliances to entertainment.

That begs the question of how this will affect the mobile development industry specifically.

What will change for mobile development in the aftermath of the Zero UI revolution?

Let’s make a disclaimer right out the gate that switching to zero interface does not completely mean the death of visual interfaces. Who will deny themselves the pleasure of swiping on Tinder or scrolling between the photos of the new Dior collection? So, don’t be so quick to sack your UX/ UI designers. Another question is that where a user can simplify a task for himself, he certainly will do it.

For example, the usual Googling with the introduction of queries into the search bar on the screen will eventually give way to voice communication. And people will get more used to giving the frequent commands ‘make it louder’, ‘turn off the sound’, and ‘zoom in’ without having to touch the screen.

What factors will developers have to consider in order to adapt to this new reality?

The emphasis in the creation of gadgets and the development of applications will seriously change.

Before that, however, UI/UX designers will have to abandon purely visual thinking.

In fact, you will need to learn to think in four or even five dimensions, rather than the usual three. The importance of data and context will critically grow, seeing as words and gestures differ for different cultures and even age groups. Your grandmother most likely imitates the ‘turn up the volume’ gesture in a completely different way than your little brother does. And all that will need to be taken into account in developing applications.

Niche technical specialists in AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science will have to work more closely with their colleagues from the marketing department. Moreover, neuroscientists, behavioral psychologists, and even linguists are likely to get hired to the staff of leading companies. And all of them will need to actively participate in creating the product.

Small teams of developers who cannot afford to expand their staff will have to partner with IT giants or outsource a significant portion of related work in order to integrate into the new reality.

For several years, entrepreneurs have been taught to think globally, but now it will become critically important to learn to think locally. It will be much more difficult to put oneself in the head of each specific user than to an abstract target audience. According to Search engine watch analysts, 70% of users’ voice queries in Google Assistant differ significantly from those they type into the search bar on the website. No one in their everyday life says or thinks in the categories such as ‘best new movies download for free’. And this will have to be taken into account as voice (or mental) commands become the main way to search for information.

How to live on?

In analyzing the technological trends of recent years, we can assume that Zero UI can change the entire face of the IT market, as did the heyday of the mobile Internet in the late 2000s. There will be new business areas, new professions, and whole new sectors propping up in the economy.

The mobile Internet has ushered in a boom in video content and messengers. What fundamental changes may the rise of Zero UI technologies provoke? And most importantly, what needs to be done today to adapt to the new reality?

Let’s think about it together. Write down your thoughts in the comments section. And feel free to contact me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladkarm/.

At Sunrise Apps, we have made 220+ mobile apps, web services and digital ecosystems for businesses. If you want to create your own product or improve an existing one — get in touch with my team at sales@sunrise-apps.com.