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The multi-touch standoff has reached a boiling point. Unfortunately, we’re unsure who is standing where. There seems to be proprietary knowledge standing between different parties, in different regions, with people like Andy Rubin (Android) and Jon Rubenstein (WebOS) taking different stances. Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha recently told Laptop Magazine where he stands (without using Google Latitude):
I think you will see us deliver multitouch in the majority of our devices going forward. There’s a complex set of factors, not all of them technical. But I think you’ll see us being proactive on multitouch because the user feedback on multitouch is very good.
But does that tell us much? I hope that doesn’t mean Motorola and other manufacturers will continue to offer Multi-touch support on all their devices with the one caveat being the American market. If the company launched all Multi-touch phones except in the United States, I’m pretty sure that would make up the “majority” of their devices. And that’s the problem we’ve got now.
Now that word “pro-active” is the biggest reason to be excited. Hopefully Sanjay and MOTO will come through in the clutch. Even though Andy Rubin doesn’t PERSONALLY like 2-handed mobile phone operations like multi-touch or pinch and zoom, it’s hard to argue that providing users an option is bad practice. Afterall, isn’t the purpose in Android to offer users more options?
[Via MobileCrunch]
Let’s hope they REALLY bring multitouch, like pinch+zoom, to Android devices. Whether you like the iPhone or not, let’s face it: pinch+zoom WORKS. People LIKE IT. It’s INTUITIVE. It has been successful.
Why it’s taking this long for something so simple to see the light of day is beyond me. Surely Apple doesn’t have a patent on multiple-finger interaction?
I’m beginning to really like Motorola’s CEO. Seems like the guy is clear on where he wants Motorola to go and he seems to listen to user feedback. I think I’ll be sticking with Moto for a while.
First of all, the Droid supports multi touch. I doubt he is talking about the built in google apps as I am sure Motorola has no control over that software. If you want pinch and zoom then try another browser like the Dolphin browser. I understand that there is also an alternative map app that supports pinch and zoom. I just don’t see google’s software supporting these features unless they themselves state that it will.
I think jkman is right. The devices already support it, technically, it’s just that the software you usually use doesn’t take advantage of it.
Until they improve the drivers don’t expect it any time soon. I have pinch zoom and rotate feature on my app that I can’t release because the droid’s touchscreen (especially with two fingers down) is WAY to buggy for everyday use… I have a feeling this is why no other apps really showcase it.
Exactly what I have been saying all along. Why not have at least the option to have multitouch? I mean you could even go as far as to make it a setting that can be changed to double tap only, or slide to scroll. It could enable users to really choose what they want. I’ve heard many boo hoo-ers shouting against multitouch for various reasons but if it were a setting then they could just turn it off if they hate it so much.
Yes abrown I agree with you….100%
Pinch to zoom isn’t even really that good.. go download the browser xScope and use their own method of zoom which is double tapping then dragging to zoom.. its much easier and faster than pinching
@Db “xScope” is not avalable in the Android Market in Canada.
Thanks DB, I thought I was the only one on the planet that didn’t like pinch and zoom.
Hm. Since the european Motorolas are already featuring Multitouch (btw also in Dolphin Browser), it’s definitely not a hardware issue…
The droid does actually support multitouch. There are certain apps such as the Dolphin Browser which is similar to the iphone; pinch and zoom. Also there is another application called picsay which is used to edit pictures that also supports multitouch.
So……does this mean that Motorola is willing to PAY Apple to be able to do this in the U.S.A.???
it looks like there is a patient on it… http://images.worldofapple.com/multitouch_patent26109.png