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How to feel the keys on a touch-screen "keyboard" - Samsung breakthrough

by Guy J Kewney | posted on 17 January 2007

Here's a wheeze the iPhone will want... a vibration system which tells you you're pressing "real keys" when you touch the images of keys on a phone without a keyboard.

The Vibetonz technology announced by Immersion for a China Unicom phone (built by Samsung) gives "tactile feedback" when the user dials a number. This means you don't need so many extra bits - keypad switches - on the phone, which reduces the bill of materials, which means a more profitable handset.