Application Foundations/DeviceInteraction

Description

Source: "Applications Foundations for the Open Web Platform" - Jeff Jaffe

"Closely related to the Core Foundation is the Device Interaction Foundation, which describes the ways that devices are used to control or provide data to applications. New Web APIs are proposed weekly to give access to all of the features offered by supporting devices. For mobile phones, APIs exist or are in development for access to camera, microphone, orientation, GPS, vibration, ambient light, pointer lock, screen orientation, battery status, touch events, bluetooth, NFC, and more.

The next generation of Web attached devices will introduce new challenges. For instance, the Automotive and Web Platform Business Group is developing APIs to access information about vehicle speed, throttle position, interior lights, horn, and other car data that could help improve driving safety and convenience. We anticipate some of that work will advance to the standards track. In general, wearables, personal medical equipment devices, home energy management devices, and the Internet of Things will drive developer demand for data in applications, and for Web abstractions to simplify what will be new complexity in underlying networks. To achieve that simplicity for developers, the TAG, Device APIs Working Group, Web Apps Working Group, and Systems Applications Working Group all have a role to play in capturing good practices for API design."

Next Steps

Quote form https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Team/w3mreq/2014Dec/0096.html

"W3M today concluded that it was time to take the current description to the next level. This would include:

comparing what we have in OWP with other platforms
gap analysis
prioritization
evangelizing.
It could also include a more detailed catalog of
- what comprises each Foundation
- what future requirements might be."

https://www.w3.org/2015/01/09-appfound-minutes.html

" as part of our workplan, I'd like to find developers we can talk to ... If we spend a month talking to devs ... if they say "they have no issues" -- great, nothing to do ... if they say "these issues" then we have next steps for conversation ... We should be flexible about what a workplan looks like ... different in an area where we're more established ... from one where we've had less traction ... If we're serious about an area, we have to do something"

https://www.w3.org/2015/01/16-appfound-minutes.html

"I'd like to get as broad an involvement from the public as possible"

" we should be calling on the AB, Membership and public for help ... we could put this on the agenda ... of the AB ... to keep them up-to-date"

" we get to a point where we want to create a conference or workshop ... there is an extensible web summit in April ... could be presented there ... or we can attach an app foundation summit and do something there"

"public survey, good idea,"

Workplan

"Focus is on what can be accomplished in time for the May AC meeting."

With that timeframe, focus should probably be on mobile.

Feb 15: Finalize list of relevant specs (for mobile, auto, wearables, personal medical equipment, home energy management, IoT)
Feb 28: First conversation with mobile developer scheduled (target: 5)
Mar 15: First draft of mobile gap analysis (including analysis of relevant literature/analyst reports etc.)
April 15: Proposed prioritization of actions for staff / WG with suggestions for additional resources investment
April 24: Report for progress on application foundation due for AC meeting
May 5: AC meeting starts

@@ All below is Foddder, please ignore

determined by workplans of WoT IG, Auto WG and BG, DAP WG, SysApps WG
@@
Feb 6: finalize workplan

@@

Feb 15: identify sources of use cases not yet involved in W3C
Feb 15: gather links to existing use case documents (Web & TV, WebRTC / RTCWeb, 2nd Screen, MediaScape)
Feb 28: proposed framework for prioritizing use cases
March 15: List of prioritized use cases
March 15: Review of capabilities of native platforms in this space
March 15: Map of use cases to Web technologies
April 15: Proposed prioritization of actions for staff / WG with suggestions for additional resources investment
April 24: Report for progress on application foundation due for AC meeting
May 5: AC meeting starts

Relevant specs:

Sysapps specs
DAP specs
NFC spec
Bluetooth API CG
Vehicle API spec
Second screen API
@@ to finalize

@@ Following is Fodder, please ignore

Goals

@@ copied from media plan - for device interaction, some of this sounds like lots of extra work in area where resources are already somewhat low - for some areas (WoT, Auto?) some of this is already planned as part of WG/IG work @@ dev outreach on sysapps, DAP, mobile IG - make that fit with HTML5Apps reviewer comments

document which use cases fall under this foundation
define a prioritization framework for these various use cases
evaluate how much of these use cases are currently achievable with existing techs
for use cases that are not achievable (or in unsatisfactory ways), determine which technologies are needed
among those that are needed and in progress, determine how to accelerate their development
among those that are needed and not in progress, determine how to get them started
compare Web capabilities to native platforms
ensure consistencies of separately-developed specs

Potential milestones

"Focus is on what can be accomplished in time for the May AC meeting."

determined by workplans of WoT IG, Auto WG and BG, DAP WG, SysApps WG
@@
Feb 6: finalize workplan

@@

Feb 15: identify sources of use cases not yet involved in W3C
Feb 15: gather links to existing use case documents (Web & TV, WebRTC / RTCWeb, 2nd Screen, MediaScape)
Feb 28: proposed framework for prioritizing use cases
March 15: List of prioritized use cases
March 15: Review of capabilities of native platforms in this space
March 15: Map of use cases to Web technologies
April 15: Proposed prioritization of actions for staff / WG with suggestions for additional resources investment
April 24: Report for progress on application foundation due for AC meeting
May 5: AC meeting starts