IBM pinpoints talking web as key future innovation

Category: Internet Trends

November 28th 08, 14:00

Interaction with the web will become increasingly focused on speech in the next five years, IBM has predicted.

As part of its annual IBM Next Five in Five report, the technology company identified the talking web as one of the innovations that will have a significant impact on everyday life in the next five years.

Web users will be able to navigate the internet with their voices, effectively making surfing the web a hands-free activity, IBM claimed.

Furthermore, speech will be used to create, build and interact with online data and e-commerce websites, it said, adding that this transformation of the web can happen because the technology needed is already available and "because it must".

"By the web becoming more accessible by using voice, it will become easier to use for everyone. Imagine being within a phone call's reach from the ability to post, scan and respond to emails and instant messages - without typing," IBM said.

Last month, the World Wide Web Consortium published a new standard aimed at making it easier for developers to create speech-based internet applications - something that could help to improve web accessibility for disabled users.

This news story was brought to you by Bluhalo, a leading UK digital agency.


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