Transferring files between devices isn't always easy, and designer Ishac Bertran thinks one of the biggest problems is that there's no "tangible connection" in a file sync. In order to fix it, he created the concept video below. His imagined system would let a user transfer files simply by holding an iPhone to the side of a MacBook. When the devices detect a proximity, a half-moon appears on each, and pictures or documents can be dragged from one to the other.
‘Tangible’ transfer concept would let you swipe files directly from MacBook to iPhone
A concept video by Ishac Bertran shows a syncing method based on proximity: a phone could be held to a computer and have files transferred by swiping.
A concept video by Ishac Bertran shows a syncing method based on proximity: a phone could be held to a computer and have files transferred by swiping.
is a senior tech and policy editor focused on online platforms and free expression. Adi has covered virtual and augmented reality, the history of computing, and more for The Verge since 2011.
Bertran sees this as a logical form of natural user interface: “I thought that a representation of a physical connection would facilitate a more intuitive interaction based on traditional mental models from the physical world.” It certainly is interesting and even relatively intuitive, although the video doesn’t do the heavy lifting of explaining how to develop the expansive system he’s shooting for. Unfortunately, we can’t imagine it would actually be all that convenient to use. It ends up looking like something from a near-future movie: visually compelling but probably impractical. That said, we’d still give something similar a try if it were ever developed.
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