Is Nokia Planning Its Own iPhone?

Written by Adam Gosling

Tuesday, 03 July 2007

Nokia has announced worldwide licenses deal for a tactile touch screen technology similar to that used in Apple's iPhone, which it plans to use for mobile devices. While there is no product announcement from Nokia, access to Immersion's VibeTonz touchscreen technology can mean little else but a development push to create a phone similar to the iPhone. Immersion's VibeTonz system is already used by company's like LG in its Prada phone which uses the feedback technology in the touchscreen to vibrate the device to let the user know they have touched the screen. Immersion also provides screens to Samsung and is the company behind the Dual-Shock controller for Sony's PlayStation. Apart form making mobile games more exciting and mobile music more 'thumpin' the system makes using a mobile device easier and more accurate. By pairing audio/visual indicators with tactile cues the system provides a richer more intuitive experience. The system can also "off-load dependence on sight and sound" allow tactile feedback to guide and inform the user. Tactile feedback has also been found to improve execution time, error rate, and information capacity, says Immersion.   "This license with Nokia supports the potential for very widespread use of our VibeTonz System -- and the VibeTonz System supports the potential for a much fuller, more multisensory experience for users," said Immersion CEO Victor Viegas. "With VibeTonz technology, Nokia can very purposefully access the sense of touch and add value throughout the mobile device." Under the license, Nokia has the right to use Immersion's VibeTonz Mobile Player in its mobile devices sold worldwide. Immersion will supply its VibeTonz SDK to Nokia's Forum Nokia developer community for creating downloadable applications and content for VibeTonz-enabled products. www.immersion.com/valueofhaptics.php www.vibetonz.com Related news items Hybrid Drive Boosts Laptop's Skillset -10/10/2007 The Poor Man's Palm -02/10/2007 Palm Goes Consumer With Treo 500v -12/09/2007 Vodafone UK Promises All-You-Can-Hear Music -12/09/2007 Broadcom Enthusisam for 802.11n Wavers -06/09/2007 Newer news items Kodak Promises Decent Phone Cameras -04/02/2008 Intel Was "Disingenuous": OLPC Chief -07/01/2008 World's First In-Flight Mobile Access -01/01/2008 Google Brings 34 Vendors To Phone Consortium -06/11/2007 Wireless Research Gets Boost -29/10/2007 Older news items AirAsia To Offer In-Flight Mobile Coverage By Early 2009 -26/06/2007 Unreleased iPhone Beats The Competition -28/05/2007 Ashamed? Intel? I doubt it -23/05/2007 Puma Promises Lower Power Better Graphics -23/05/2007 HP Unveils Future Mobile Vision -15/05/2007 Tag This Now: