Patent filings are a great technique to get to know the course of technological developments and the kind of services to expect.
In this regard, the recent Google patent filing mentioned at SEO By the Sea throws light on an intuitive navigation method for mobile devices.
An excerpt from SEO By the Sea
The Patent listed a number of references to other interfaces, which were also misleading. One was an electronic horoscope game from Mattel. Another was a watch dial from 1928. Three others were display icons for computer screens, like one from Apple Computer.
Navigation and its integration with other services on mobile devices will perhaps play a key role in the usability and success of search these devices. With the reduced viewing factors and the limited ease of providing input, more innovation is needed on developing more avenues for user input.
The iPhone has already proven that a mobile device need not be tied down to just scroll keys and buttons. Google also seems to be betting big on getting its chunk of the mobile space with its Android mobile stack.
It would be fabulous to see smartphones in the line of iPhone’s usability with software services from Google.