Apple TV: Ultimate Interface Simplicity

Want to rent a movie? How about an interface that only shows a selection of movies and allows you to move them around, sort them and rent for immediate playback? No descriptions or buttons to get in the way until you have selected what you want..the movies themselves are the buttons. With Apple’s software upgrade to AppleTV, the ease of the transaction has been stripped down almost to the promise of “frictionless commerce”. You don’t have to leave your home, you don’t need to leave your couch and you don’t need a computer. You don’t even need mail or envelopes anymore.

Need to sort these movies? Maybe you want to browse your photos, music or podcasts in the same way. A simple frame lays on top so people can gain context. Once a category is selected the “cards” below are dealt across the full-length of a wide-screen “table”, which happens to be your flat panel TV.

If it’s easy to find what you want and it doesn’t take any time, there’s a lot of value. In a consumer society where time is as much a currency as money, this user interface is the ultimate competitive advantage. Netflix, Blockbuster, and Amazon now have a tough act to follow.