Samsung Galaxy S4 to use touchless gesture system?
Aside from the latest cutting edge specs, Samsung typically uses their flagship Galaxy S line to showcase a few less conventional technologies. Last year we saw the Galaxy S3 feature a few natural motion gestures that allowed users to interact with their phone in an intuitive way. For example, motioning as though answering a call by placing the phone to one’s ear would complete the task without ever touching the display. A new report says Samsung will expand touchless gestures in the Galaxy S4.
According to Korea’s DDaily, Samsung will be deploy an Atmel chip capable of processing gestures within the range of the screen without the need to actually make contact. Think of it as an advanced version of Sony’s “floating touch” system.
Samsung will likely attempt to recreate many of the same features of the Galaxy Note 2’s Air View functionality, but the new sensor would eliminate the need for a stylus to make it happen. We can also imagine gestures such as “flicking” above the screen to scroll through pages or home screens. A patent filing uncovered last year could hint at more.
If the system catches on, expect to see it in future Samsung handsets moving forward. The Galaxy S4, though, could act as the launchpad for a system that could redefine interactions with our smartphones. Or it could fall flat with users, a curious one-off taking advantage of the Galaxy S series’ popularity.
[via PocketNow]