Google's 'Physical Web' will let you interact with connected devices without an app

Google is launching a project called the Physical Web that aims to create on-demand interaction with smart devices.

“People should be able to walk up to any smart device — a vending machine, a poster, a toy, a bus stop, a rental car — and not have to download an app first. Everything should be just a tap away,” an explanation for the site reads. The initiative was first shared on GitHub two days ago.

Rather than have an app for every smart device, the Physical Web project wants a protocol to exist that allows smart devices to communicate directly with a mobile phone — like a bus stop that sends an alert to your phone about when the next bus will arrive.

Several companies, including Wink, are working to figure out the best way to connect smart devices, either through a hub or a central app. Google’s effort is the latest, though its focus on creating an open ecosystem could be the most compelling yet. No other information is available about how or when the Physical Web will roll out to the public.

Via: TechCrunch