What does iPad bring to web design?

2 years ago, we were trying to apply web experience to mobile. Today mobile is influencing the way we are browsing on the internet.

This is the revolution. We are today using different supports and spending a lot of time browsing on our mobile and playing with our iPad. Our hands and our brains get used to different concepts that become part of our lives. When we then go back to the web, we are stamped with those changes and we need to find these behaviors again.

What does it mean for online?

• Horizontal and vertical browsing

• Imagery

• Streamlined experience

• Infinite scrolling

I also see that applications that used to be extremely simple (was a on the go use so could not be too complicated) are getting a need to be fancier. When the user is using some iPad applications and that he is limited in the actions he is doing, it is extremely frustrating for him. On the other side, when some behaviors are established on the internet, he is expecting to find the same on the iPad app. With increased size of the devices, the experience is getting aligned across all the supports.

Designing an application on the web and on an iPad will get closer and closer. More simplicity will emerge in the web and more featured will be introduced on the tablets. A tablet is no longer a reading device, you want to do something on it. Giving an easier view of what your website is offering is no longer the answer. The customer wants to interact. On the other hand, limiting the web to some ‘’traditional’’ concepts of user experience cannot longer be viable.

I like very much this convergence in term of experience that is going to offer much more richness to how we are consuming our content.