Nokia licences VibeTonz for mobiles

More tactile touchscreens coming soon from the Finns?

2 July 2007 16:41 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Nokia has joined Samsung and LG in licensing Immersion's VibeTonz technology to its range of handsets.

Nokia has signed up for a long-term, worldwide license for Immersion's VibeTonz tactile feedback system for mobile devices.

The license gives Nokia the rights to use VibeTonz technology to enhance mobile device operation.

Already embedded in more than four million phones worldwide, VibeTonz can add tactile cues for touchscreen interfaces, touch feedback in mobile games similar to that found in consoles.

The technology also adds subwoofer-style vibe beats in ringtones and MP3s and personalised tactile text messages and alerts.

Immersion will supply its VibeTonz SDK to Nokia's Forum Nokia developer community for creating downloadable applications and content for VibeTonz-enabled products.

This news follows Nokia CTO Tero Ojanpera's recent comments stating that, "Optical sensors and touch will be the next big things".