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Author Nokia announces S60 Touch Interface
Dogmann
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Posted: 2007-10-16 13:49
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Hi all,

Today at the Symbian Smart Phone Show Nokia have announced the next step for S60 with a Touch interface that can be used with fingers or stylus and also will have Haptics which gives tactile feedback. They also announced that they will be enabling their devices with Flash Lite 3 enabling rich web video on S60 which will allow access to Media rich web sites which so far has not been possible .

Here is a link to a short Video showing some concept devices and the things the S60 Touch UI will bring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3uPxep2OIk


My personal feeling although i am no longer personally a great fan of Touch Screen interfaces is Apple and the other manufacturers that use Touchscreens will have some serious competition coming soon. Especially as the Haptics tactile feedback is going to move touchscreen to another new level of user experience IMO.

As these devices will be running an already well established OS they will be feature rich and of course should come with what we are used to both 3G and HSDPA hopefully with 7.2mbps support .

I am not sure if the wealth of apps available will all transfer easily or if apps may require some work to allow for the change of input methods. But i would imagine if they need conversion this will be done quite quickly to take advantage of these new devices.

The only thing to wait for now is the announcement of actual devices and when they will reach the market. But it does look like those that want a touch screen will have another range of devices to choose from soon, which IMO can only be a good thing for consumers and drive even greater competition and advancements in the devices we are offered.


Oh yes and the interface and devices do look very similar to the iPhone but then lets face it this is only so much that can be done with a large Touch Screen device and until we see the full specs we won't really know what else these devices may have. Nokia did say they didn't see anything wrong with copying a great idea, but obviously from the video clip these devices may not suit all as i didn't see any qwerty as an alternative input method so both TYTN users and UIQ with qwerty users may not find a device that suits there needs.


Marc

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[ This Message was edited by: Dogmann on 2007-10-16 12:54 ]
masseur
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Posted: 2007-10-16 13:58
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press release

S60 smartphone software evolves to enrich the user experience
October 16, 2007

Expanding the platform with intuitive touch user interface, sensor technologies and complete web video experience

Symbian Smartphone Show, London, UK - As Internet is entering into the core of mobile experiences, Nokia continues to implement new innovations for S60 on Symbian OS(TM), the market leading smartphone software, to develop the best possible mobile experiences for people.

S60 will introduce new features that enhance the user experience and enable manufacturers, developers and operators to design new types of mobile devices, applications and services.

The touch user interface in S60 smartphone software offers licensees the opportunity to develop devices with a variety of input methods, whether it is a touch screen with a traditional keypad, touch screen with a qwerty keyboard or touch screen alone, supporting both finger or stylus optimized input, in addition to the range of access options that already exist today.

S60 touch user interface comes with support for tactile feedback, which means that there is a physical pulse and feedback when the user taps on the screen. This provides better awareness of the device's response improving the user experience.

Existing S60 3rd Edition applications will run on touch enabled devices unmodified. Tools will be made available for developers to further optimize the touch experience of their applications.

From motion and orientation to proximity and light, sensor technology is expanding to new areas and shaping the future for mobiles. S60 brings sensor support to the platform as a generic solution enabling support for a range of sensors in S60 devices. These technologies open up a new kinetic world to the user and offer completely new opportunities for application and game developers.

Also, the new UI Accelerator toolkit will allow device manufacturers to develop rapidly and easily impressive graphical effects and new types of interactions, further increasing the user appeal and excitement.

S60 will be the first mobile software platform to deliver the complete Web video experience as Flash Video will be integrated with the Web Browser for S60. This allows people to view on the go Flash-enabled Web sites and Flash Video, such as YouTube, as they would do on their desktops.

S60 and 3, the mobile media company that launched the first 3G network in the UK, will demonstrate at the Symbian Smartphone Show in London X-Series devices based on S60, and the vision both share of creating great Internet experiences on mobile devices.
"We are constantly on the lookout for new innovations to enhance X-Series, our offering for Internet on the mobile", said Ken Johnstone, Director of Products, Global 3G Handset & Application Group, at 3. "The user experience is central to everything that we do, and we believe that X-Series provides the best-in-class Internet experience on the mobile."

"S60 on Symbian OS offers a great platform to innovate with Internet services", said Matti Vänskä, Vice President, Mobile Software Sales and Marketing, Nokia. "We see experiences converging, and people demanding more and more of the functionalities that smartphones offer, both of which highlight the significance of ease of use. The focus of our strategy is to give people choice and simplicity - both key to delivering the best user experiences to add value to people's lives."

These technologies will be available for all S60 device manufacturers during 2008.
Dogmann
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Posted: 2007-10-16 14:04
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Hi Masseur,

Great additional information and has already answered some of the questions i had, looks like 2008 should be an exciting Year. I wonder if from the above this means 3 may have some of these devices as exclusives to start with as they have done with both Skype and Slingbox may be time to check out 3's deals and packages next Year.

Marc

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[ This Message was edited by: Dogmann on 2007-10-16 13:04 ]
Staska
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Posted: 2007-10-16 15:57
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Here's another video from today's Symbian Smartphone show presentation and also a video of presentation by Nokia's senior VP, describing touch UI in detail:

http://www.unwiredview.com/20[....]get-touch-interface-next-year/
Dogmann
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Posted: 2007-10-16 16:42
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Hi Staska

Nice find and that makes the whole Touch UI concept far more interesting, i don't know about anyone else but I'm glad i didn't get a iPhone after all. Still not sure i want to go back to a touchscreen or not but this may sway me.

I would also say it is impossible for all of this to have been done just since the announcement and launch of the iPhone, Nokia must of been developing this for quite some time can anyone remember when they bought the Haptics Tactile feedback license?

It certainly shows Apple aren't five years ahead of the field and if this launches Q1/Q2 2008 which it looks like they were not even a year ahead.

IMO this will really start to push innovation and competition between manufacturers which will drive delivery of even better devices for us the consumers. SE really needs to get a move on with it's P3 and it really needs to be something that delivers in all aspects and be special or there market is going to evaporate.

It may of taken Nokia a while to fully embrace Touch Screen devices but from what i have seen so far this added to OVI it seems they really are changing the game and expanding the boundaries. As the VP said they will be the first to include Flash Lite 3.0 something i have seen asked for on many forums for many devices and it looks like Nokia have got the jump on everyone else.

I must admit the fact that current S60 apps will run on this new UI means it will be a seamless transfer for any of us that decide to go touch screen nothing new to learn except for all the new additional features next year looks like it's going to be exciting. The only thing really left to see is if they will have the new OMAP 3 Chip and 7.2mbps HSDPA or not. But even if they only have the OMAP2420 and 3.6mbps HSDPA they will still be powerful enough and more powerful than most devices already announced or available.

Marc



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[ This Message was edited by: Dogmann on 2007-10-16 15:42 ]
anonymuser
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Posted: 2007-10-16 17:05
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It's probably just me, but I think this leaves Nokia looking pretty weak. They've ignored the touchscreen market for years, while the likes of SE and all the Windows Mobile crowd have plugged away at it, but now Apple have swanned in with MultiTouch, Nokia have all of a sudden discovered "Touch", an amazing new way of controlling your phone through a "touch screen"... amazing! Not.

Any pretence that this isn't a knee-jerk reaction to the iphone is rather undone by the fact that the demo phone in their video looks like a cheap Chinese copy of the iphone...

I'm rather hoping they trip up on this one. If they can't come up with original approach to touchscreen interfaces, then they should carry on ignoring them.
C905
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Posted: 2007-10-16 17:16
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i´ve never like series60, but now the platform is far more interesting good job nokia
batesie
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Posted: 2007-10-16 17:28
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S60 3rd edition is the first UI thats impressed me from nokia. add touchscreen and it makes it complete! [addsig]
C905
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Posted: 2007-10-16 17:34
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On 2007-10-16 17:28:09, batesie wrote:
S60 3rd edition is the first UI thats impressed me from nokia. add touchscreen and it makes it complete!


you are absolutely right
Dogmann
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Posted: 2007-10-16 17:35
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@Boinng

You really think that Nokia have done all of this just since the announcement and launch of the iPhone and as knee jerk reaction you must be mad. As if so that would mean they have the most amazeing R&D in the world to be able to work in that sort of time frame it's virtually impossible to be done how ever much money you threw at it. If you love or hate Nokia you have to admire them for constantly bringing new innovations to market and i seriously doubt these devices will fail.

It surely proves Apple where not 5 years ahead of everyone else in fact it is Nokia that are ahead with the tactile feed back, Flash LITE 3.0 and all the existing S60 apps that will work on it from day one. You really think this makes Nokia weak personally i think it makes the other manufacturers extremely vulnerable as Nokia are not just releasing a iPhone style device but many devices including one with full qwerty. All on a well established platform with tons of both free and paid for apps and you can be sure it will be at least 3G, HSDPA, WiFi G and all the other things Nokia devices bring including fast new processors and graphics to make the most of these devices.

If any one is now weak and threatened it is SE as now Nokia will have a Symbian touch screen device to compete directly with them and if these devices launch before the P3 and the P3 is lacking in spec it will be game over for SE and their already small market share will be gone.

SE really need now more than ever to release the P3 fast and a stable well specified device as well. Personally i hope they do as they virtually invented the concept but don't kid your self if they don't that will be the end of their smart phones.

There is just to much competition out there right now even you have gone for a TYTN over a P1. You are not alone many others have also already either moved to WM6 or S60. Realistically they have one last shot to retake the high ground and win their users back and they better make it a good one.

Marc

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[ This Message was edited by: Dogmann on 2007-10-16 16:35 ]
bluechips
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Posted: 2007-10-16 18:09
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nokia is boring behind touchscreen technology, of course it has the money and technology is already everywhere, i am just puzzled how it cant release a decent touchscreen long ago if it has the edge.

anonymuser
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Posted: 2007-10-16 18:17
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On 2007-10-16 17:35:17, Dogmann wrote:
@Boinng

You really think that Nokia have done all of this just since the announcement and launch of the iPhone and as knee jerk reaction you must be mad. As if so that would mean they have the most amazeing R&D in the world to be able to work in that sort of time frame it's virtually impossible to be done how ever much money you threw at it.


If you threw enough money at it, and had an obvious model to copy and compete with, and already had the base OS in place, of course you could do it. Nokia aren't short of resources, the whole world has known all about the Iphone interface since January, and in 9 months Nokia have developed a touchscreen interface for their already mature OS to compete with it - not exactly putting a man on the moon, is it?

If you love or hate Nokia you have to admire them for constantly bringing new innovations to market and i seriously doubt these devices will fail


Surely you can hear how ridiculous that sounds, in this context? New innovations?! An interface that couldn't be more like Multitouch if they tried (and they have), coupled with Haptics that the Razr2 has had for months - thank you Nokia! How would we manage without them?

It surely proves Apple where not 5 years ahead of everyone else


They never were, but anyone with any knowledge of smartphones already knew that, didn't they? The only people saying Apple were 5 years ahead, were the same people that thought the internet on your phone was a really neat new idea...

in fact it is Nokia that are ahead with the tactile feed back, Flash LITE 3.0 and all the existing S60 apps that will work on it from day one.


No, it's Nokia who are playing catch-up, and not just with Apple either. Honestly, a few months ago you'd have sworn blind that touchscreens were unnecessary and for a limited market, but now they're not just great, but Nokia invented them! Forget about it. Touchscreens aren't new, they aren't any more useful than they always were, and haptics aren't a new innovation either. Flash Lite 3? Well that's nice, but are we really suggesting that every other manufacturer isn't about to add that too, it being the natural successor to well, Flash Lite 2? And shouldn't we be directing the praise for that at Adobe, who created it, rather than Nokia?

As for all the S60 apps working from day one, well I'm sure they will, but I'm equally sure they won't respond to "touch" until they're recompiled for the touch interface. Because Nokia aren't that prescient - until somebody saw the iphone, there was no touch in S60.

You really think this makes Nokia weak personally i think it makes the other manufacturers extremely vulnerable as Nokia are not just releasing a iPhone style device but many devices including one with full qwerty. All on a well established platform with tons of both free and paid for apps and you can be sure it will be at least 3G, HSDPA, WiFi G and all the other things Nokia devices bring including fast new processors and graphics to make the most of these devices.

If any one is now weak and threatened it is SE as now Nokia will have a Symbian touch screen device to compete directly with them and if these devices launch before the P3 and the P3 is lacking in spec it will be game over for SE and their already small market share will be gone.


I think it makes them weak in spirit, and weak in moral fibre. You're probably right, S60 "touch" will be much stronger competition for UIQ as it now has one of the main selling points of UIQ covered, and people will ask (a) why do we need two different Symbian touchscreen UI's, and (b) why should I go for UIQ when the whole world already uses S60. And to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't destroy UIQ - because we all know UIQ3 hasn't gone down well generally, and the P3i will have an uphill struggle selling UIQ4, or whatever comes next. And maybe SE will end up writing off the half of UIQ they still own, and go over to WM - perhaps, considering the deal they reportedly did with HTC recently, that's already underway.

The thing is, I think that's all extremely bad news for Symbian, and for S60, and for Nokia. Because ultimately, by destroying one segment of the Symbian market in pursuit of creating a cheap copy of the Iphone, they'll just end up making themselves and their choice of OS seem shabby and second rate in the process. In a pincer movement between Apple and the next major version of WM, are they still going to look so innovative even in your eyes? I doubt it.

There is just to much competition out there right now even you have gone for a TYTN over a P1.


Very true, because for me it was time for a change - but don't kid yourself into thinking I'd ever have considered a S60, touch enabled or otherwise.
bluechips
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Posted: 2007-10-16 18:23
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i'll never consider having a franchise to be nokia touch interface smartphone in the near future... i hope it wont bring chaos to s60.
QVGA
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Posted: 2007-10-16 18:54
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Its nothing new, whichever way Nokia puts it. But i'm glad touchscreen will be a part of nokia's phones.
gola
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Posted: 2007-10-16 19:13
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i think this is fantastic,it broadens the variety of choices...
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