Eye on the UI: The need to differentiate

The smartphone segment of the market is poised for growth, just as a range of players are poised to release new smartphone devices in the months ahead. Among the most anticipated are new handsets based on Google's Android operating system, the next iteration of the iPhone, and the Palm Pre.

But as the number of smartphone makers proliferates, the need to create a differentiated product also increases. Much of that differentiation likely will come from the phone's user interface. Unfortunately for those in the market, it's difficult to deliver a phone with a compelling user interface that doesn't mimic all the other devices on the market.

"Not having a me-too phone is really important," said Fredrik Ademar, the chief technology officer of The Astonish Tribe, a Swedish company that designs UIs and works with major handset OEMs.

Making a better UI

The user interface has to be more than just a pretty face. It has to add value and ease of use for consumers. "It has to be a distinction that consumers value," said Avi Greengart, an analyst for Current Analysis. "Having a prettier set of animated weather cards isn't going to be enough."

Greengart emphasized that handset makers need to plan how they will differentiate their products and UIs in a strategic way. "You need to sit down and figure out not just where you could be but where your competitors are likely to be, and overshoot that," he said. "Otherwise you're just going to be reactive."

But that is easier said than done. Handset makers must innovate around the UI, even though it's "not a natural thing" for them to do, according to Ted Wugofski, the chief technology officer of Handmark, a company that designs applications for Palm, iPhone, Research In Motion's BlackBerry platform and Windows Mobile phones.

He said handset manufacturers are optimized for mass production, not necessarily for innovation. The "core competency around handset manufacturers is getting these innovative handsets to market quickly, and reducing the cost around those handsets," he said.

Technical skills are key

Driving innovation may be too difficult a task for OEMs to accomplish in-house, according to John Jackson, vice president of research for CCS Insight. "It's going to be delivering on the promise of contextual awareness and relevance," he said. "And that's difficult to do. It implies a set of technical competencies that these guys [handset vendors] just don't have."

However, there are notable exceptions to this-HTC designed its TouchFlo3D UI in-house, and Samsung has latched onto its proprietary TouchWiz UI as the building block for its smartphones. Nevertheless, many handset makers are turning to outside firms to stay ahead of the innovation curve.

"It wouldn't surprise me if some are farming it out," said Tim Shepherd, a mobile analyst with Canalys. "It takes a lot of time to get it right." ...Continued

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