First ELSE Cancelled by Emblaze, Might be Sold to Other Companies
Last year, we got to have a sneak peek at the new operating system and user interface design by Emblaze, the First ELSE. The unique user interface system was based mostly on the use of just one finger to navigate throughout an entire phone’s worth of features and content. While it is also possible to use the device with two hands, the fact that the entire handset can be used with just one is a big convenience –especially for people who are often on the go.
The actual handset later appeared at the MWC last February where Emblaze showed off their brave and innovative design ideas when it came to interface design. The First ELSE is one of the few UI’s that focused on the real strengths of smart phone and touch screen technology –as most user interfaces feel like mock ups of desktop interface designs.
Sadly, it has been reported that Emblaze will be cancelling the production and development of the First ELSE. According to various sources, the company has been taking some severe financial trouble and would need to re-allocate the funding that was originally made for the new smart phone. The money would be re-circulated to help the company re-stabilize. However, there is no word that they would continue the First ELSE development later on and it has been said that the company is considering selling the technology to other developers and manufacturers.
While it is unlikely that we see Access Linux being used in newer smart phones, the possibility that the UI design might get adapted is pretty high. Many who saw the demonstrations of the OS gave pretty good reviews and feedback regarding the design ideas which means that it is likely that companies would actually adapt the one-finger control UI –if they purchase it from Emblaze.
Predicting Smart Phone Trends
With manufacturers focused on current technology and what new features the various operating systems are delivering, some might say that the level of innovation in smart phone technology has come to a slow down.
While there is no decrease in the number of concept devices being made by various manufacturers and product developers in order to inspire the industry to push forward, the innovation has been concentrating more on software than the hardware itself.
This does not mean that the hardware is not changing, it is but only in a single direction of “better specs”, which simply means that the easiest way to predict what tomorrow’s handsets is by looking at the devices available today in simply increasing the speed, power, capacity and performance.
Still, there some new (and old) technology that is being developed that might change the way mobile phones are being used. Take Nokia for example, they are now bringing back short range device communication, this technology as originally developed as a more secure alternative to Bluetooth thanks to its limitation with proximity for devices to communicate.
The development of new touch screen technology is also being implemented as well. Larger, thinner and more flexible touch screens are being developed and this may help change the way mobile phones are designed and made. However, since the current form is quite effective and efficient in terms of functionality and practicality, it will be a long time before a new form factor is accepted.
As stated above, the real change in hardware is simply in improving the current specs. Chip manufacturers are racing to create not only faster and more powerful processors, but also in finding ways to cut down on power consumption. Since mobile handsets rely on rechargeable batteries with limited capacities, there are limits to how fast a modern CPU can be.
Mobile Platform Round Up: A Quick Look at Today’s Choices
There are plenty of operating systems out there, and while one can name at least three major mobile platforms, we can be sure that many more will be added in the years to come. Here is a quick look at some of the operating systems that are being used today.
Apple’s iPhone OS is making plenty of news with the announcement of the new iPhone, but even the OS itself has already been making headlines. Putting aside the issue with the SDK’s license agreement, the new iPhone OS is actually more of the old Apple features with a brand new look and some faux-multitasking capabilities added in. It is not all that impressive, but aside from the things that Apple still refuses to give (tethering, WiFi syncing), there really is nothing much to improve on the older features.
The Google Android operating system has to be the most famous OS of the time. With thousands of apps being added in each week and the number of users growing, the Android is an excellent choice for the average smart phone user. The apps are cheaper (many are even free) and best of all, the OS is full of fun features. The only issue with the Android is that with the many devices that are available, some phones with different hardware have compatibility problems.
Microsoft’s Windows Mobile and Windows Phone operating system are in a threshold. Windows Mobile has mostly failed in the general market but has held a steady number 2 spot in the business market. The Windows Phone 7 OS on the other hand is yet to be released and from the initial presentations, it looks ready to compete with the iPhone OS.
The Symbian^4 OS has also yet to appear on an existing device, but the world is eagerly awaiting the open source version of their latest OS version.