LG goes tactile with VibeTonz deal

Rumble in the jungle

26 July 2006 12:39 GMT / By Stuart Miles

The next mobile phones from LG are likely to rumble following a deal with Immersion and LG Electronics.

The company behind the technology that makes the PlayStation2 controllers rumble, has just announced a new partnership with the fourth largest mobile handset manufacturer in the world.

LG Electronics has obtained a world-wide license from Immersion to incorporate VibeTonz Mobile Player into mobile phone handsets to enable playback of vibro-tactile effects with ringtones, games, user interface features, and touchscreen technology.

The idea behind the technology is to allow, in combination with sight and sound cues on mobile handsets, content to be more realistic and fun and operation more intuitive.

According to the technology's makers, The VibeTonz system can improve the mobile device user experience by not only giving touch feedback effects for mobile games similar to those found in console games but also for tactile confirmations in response to touchscreen presses.