S60 is feature-rich software for smartphones with advanced data capabilities. Based on the Symbian OS, it includes an application suite, user interface framework, and middleware components. The flexibility of S60 allows for a variety of hardware designs and software configurations.
S60 devices include built-in features varying from messaging and calendar to a wide variety of personalization options and advanced web browsing.
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 exists 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.
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.
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.
Key highlights for S60 touch interface will include:
• It will be able to support devices with and without keyboard, stylus and finger inputs
• It will provide tactile feedback via haptics technologies
• The interface will be multilingual with support Asian languages as well
• Advanced sensor framework and UI acceleration toolkit will be provided for developers for easier adoption
• Multiple gestures will be supported. Possibility for users and developers to customize them provided
• It will be backwards compatible with older S60 applications
• Embedded Flash Lite 3 for desktop like video experience
• First products with touch support will become available in 2008
If everything described in the presentations will become a reality, S60 devices soon will give an iPhone a serious run for the money.
The S60 Touch UI screen shot looks good. The design has big on-screen buttons, clean design, and easy to read menus.
From motion and orientation to proximity and light, sensor technology is expanding to new areas and shaping the future for mobiles. The S60 UI is therefore a revolution waiting to happen.