Mobile phones: huge OS competition
The mobile phone industry is exploring new ways of thinking about the desktop, accessing content, multitasking, and facilitating interaction.
After Google’s Android, Apple’s iOS and Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8, there is definitely huge OS competition…
Ubuntu
The new Ubuntu smartphone chooses a desktop using every edge of the screen to access native and web apps, communication tools, etc. to clear the center of the screen.
For example, the right edge takes us back to the previous app, the left one displays your favorite apps and an entire swipe from left to right across the screen leads to recently opened apps.
Every part of the interface is designed to present meaningful information to the user. For example, unlike many mobile OS that force you to unlock the screen to interact with your device, Ubuntu Mobile chooses to greet you with a personalised welcome screen with content you find most important.
Take a look at this link and go to 07:05:
http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/phone
KDDI
Others like KDDI, a Japanese mobile company, display a dashboard which access these tools in an unusual, organic and smooth way.
Dave: I think some of the design is heavy-handed, but it’s refreshing to see something different on a rectangular phone screen…
Marcio: That’s nice, very organic, but this is the kind of animation that becomes annoying after a while, specially the lists that appear when you click on the “function” button on the left.
RIM: BlackBerry Z10
A nice look at the new Z10 and more importantly, the new BB OS.
You navigate through “four states”– applications, home screen (8 items), apps library or in the BB hub (for messages)- by swiping up.
A combination of gestures make things quicker. If you want to quickly access your notifications: swipe up, hold, then continue to the right.
Take a look here:
(Video is a bit down the page, OS review starts at 1:30):
http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3929760/blackberry-z10-review
Jolla: Sailfish OS
Sailfish offers some shortcuts that make interaction more efficient and the experience quite interesting as you can rapidly integrate into the lock screen the app you just opened by pushing from the left to the right. You also can interact with it by dragging the cover of your app.
By swiping up, you have all your applications icons.
Take a look at those links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhuUEoBTOBY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHn3qp_E3_A
Mozilla: Keon and Peak
Mozilla is also in the race with their Keon and Peak smartphones, saying: “we are working on bringing the power of the web to mobile, through Firefox OS, along with all the power of open standards and an open community, and once again, we’d like to invite web developers to join us.”
Take a look here: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefoxos/
Learn more…
An interesting match up between smartphone rivals Apple and Samsung (from Allison Morris): http://www.mbaonline.com/samsung/
Images sources of this blog
Blog’s image: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/cell-phone-tracking
Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/phone
KIDDI: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ass2rWIqd8I&list=PLS7azqUNoh8szi0WyRZPE4CSxfxH1L7cF
Blackberry: http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3929760/blackberry-z10-review
Sailfish OS by Jolla: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2dsse_P-w8
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