Multi - touch is Dead , Long live Multi - touch

Interest in multi-touch interaction with large and small displays surfaces has seen a recent explosion. We describe key moments in " multi-touch's " latest history and rank " multi-touch " in Gartner's five-phase hype cycle. We also (re)highlight the issues that designers have to take into account when designing multi-touch applications on multi-touch sensitive surfaces to address the ensuing period of " disillusionment ". At this peak in the hype, many well-known concepts of multi-touch and bimanual interaction were ignored and we describe these low points for interaction design. Bill Buxton's multi-touch webpage provides a list of these " traps'' of which people who are starting out with multi-touch interaction should be aware. Based on Buxton's framework, we draw conclusions about how researchers should assess and be inspired to develop the next generation of multi-touch applications.