[gdfer]

facebook was great for helping human connection but obviously comes with it's limitations. apps like facebook/whatsapp clearly expand the breadth of who we can connect to and how often, but there's so much more to tap into when it comes to human connection that text/photos won't do. the fact that you mention "if anything" is almost a little depressing to me. surely technology will have a lot more to offer.

video chat is another connection mechanism that provides more depth in ways that text/photo sharing never will -e.g. it reaches more of our senses.

the next big thing will be something very different and the trick will be getting it into every home. imo, it's clearly virtual reality related. i should be able to put on a headset/glasses and and sit in my living room with a friend and have that beer while chatting with them so it feels like they're in the room with me. the more real this can feel the better.

i'd imagine google/facebook are already racing to find this next big thing today. getting this into every home is the key. this is a race worth investing a lot into imo. if someone else can beat one of these big companies to this, they'll find themselves in position to surpass them.

[big_spammer]

Why is it "clearly virtual reality related"?

[gdfer]

i think that people are beginning to find these more shallow ways of connecting less meaningful and while they will always serve a purpose, i think that technology such as virtual reality will enable people who are not in the same room together to connect with one another in more meaningful and real (feeling) ways.

[patrics123]

+1 for the VR "feeling transmitting Tech" thing.

however it might be a bit scary to use it in the long term I expect a short hype like with Chatroulette or SecondLife because everybody wants to try it at least one time but itl only stick with a few of those Initial Users and serve a real purpose there...