Social is here. Mobile has started. Interactive TV is next.

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about new technology and how that’s driving changes in consumer people’s behavior.  Most of the time this involves talking about new advances in social media or mobile technology.

I’ve been spending time lately thinking about the next frontier in digital innovation.  What shift will happen to change the way people receive, interact with and produce content?  Will there be a new way that people connect with each other and share?  Will there be a new way for old school marketers to put ads in front of millions of new people?…just kidding on that one, you know I hate that crap.

So after social (which is happening today) and mobile (which is just really starting to get interesting), the next area that I believe is going to change everything is interactive TV.  The idea that the big screen in our living room is essentially a dumb terminal, broadcasting to us a limited amount of non-interactive content is absurd when you think about it.  That huge screen is connected to all the data and power you could ask for, meanwhile I’m sitting on the couch holding an iPad that isn’t connected to anything yet connects me to everything and everyone.  Anyone that doesn’t see those two mediums merging probably needs to keep working on saving newspapers and magazines.

There are many, many companies trying to get into this game.  But Google openly talking about it and the wide speculation that Apple will soon be moving into it, are making me believe this is a part of our very near future.

Check out the new Google TV coming…

And you know Apple will get into the game.  I was just reading this article last night on Slashgear about the possibility of an Apple HDTV.  Check it out.  I believe its coming very soon.

Once Google and Apple start really thinking about TVs, that medium is going to change forever, bet on that.