Mobile Phones News Blog

Augmented reality is a technology that combines the real world with digital information. It gives users the impression that they are interacting with real and physical objects. The technology itself is not exactly new and is being used in a varied of applications from GPS systems to fitness apps.

There are numerous cool augmented reality apps already in the market. However, not all are perfect or match expectations. While many have unshakeable image recognition technologies, getting real time information or even recognising objects and colours is still a challenge.

Future

The future of augmented reality seems to be more inclined towards haptics and tactile feedback (which uses sense of touch).

Earlier, Senseg, which claims mastery over such technology, had demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show, haptic technology that allowed users to feel their apps on the touchscreen by manipulating an electric field. With the technology, users will now be able to feel bumps and ridges, and also figure out which areas are more rough than others. The company believes if users are able to get the feel of anything other than glass, it would be a better experience.

The company demonstrated an Android tablet with a touchscreen, which had different textures on it. Users get used to such a touchscreen quickly and may not want to go back to a regular touchscreen. Senseg has deliberately made the effect subtle so it doesn’t distract the users while making its presence clearly felt. The company is still working on different kind of sensations.

Another app from application developer CrowdOptic may point towards a new trend in augmented reality apps. The new technology of CrowdOptic focuses on crowds, such as in concert or sports events.

When the camera of the smartphone is pointed at a player during a sporting event, it displays real time information about the player and the game. The details and context can also be shared through different social networks. So far, getting information on moving objects through augmented reality apps was not possible.

A Samsung spokesperson has confirmed that it is aiming to launch new flexi-screen handsets at the beginning of next year.

Samsung’s Robert Yi, told TechRadar that the company is planning to introduce flexible displays “sometime in 2012” and that the application of the new technology “will probably start from the handset side.”

It comes as no surprise that Samsung is looking to push forward the development of such technology given that the company showcased a foldable AMOLED screen at CES earlier this year.

Flexible screens have fast become the tech du jour with a number of manufacturers looking to develop them. Prototypes featuring malleable displays were exhibited by Nokia at the company’s Nokia World event in London last week and Sony also recently showed off their version of the technology.

However, whilst Nokia’s Kinetic Device and Humanised Phone remain in the development stage with no indication given as to whether the handsets will ever make it into production, Samsung are the first to state it has an approximate release date.

Details of devices earmarked to feature the new screens have so far been closely guarded, along with specifications, but given this announcement, we’d expect more information to follow in the coming weeks.