Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X1 flagship isn’t just a geeky-cool piece of kit. The XPERIA X1 represents more than the amalgamation of WVGA touchscreen display, QWERTY keyboard, WiFi, GPS, etc. – it represents Sony Ericsson’s push to redefine the mobile experience through its Panel UI.
If you don’t already know, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 uses a panel-based user interface. Each “Panel,” represents a completely different homescreen that can be customized to present the user with web-based information (email, news, stocks, weather, etc.) as well as launchable applications. The idea here is that the user will have different information needs from their device throughout the day or month or year.
If you’re at the office, you might want to choose a “Panel” (really, a desktop configuration) that displays your daily schedule, email, stock information as well as icons that launch applications like web browsers, contacts lists, and a maps application. When you leave for vacation, you might want to choose a Panel that shuns email and stock information for weather, flight information, and regional dining recommendations alongside icons for a maps application, web browser, GPS navigation, etc.
The point is, the Sony Ericsson Panel UI allows the user to instantly reconfigure their device to suit their needs at any given moment. Information presented on any given Panel (homescreen) can be accessed simply by turning on the device display – and data is pushed to the handset so the user doesn’t even have to “update weather” to see the most current forecast.
As an interface layer that lies atop the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional architecture, Sony Ericsson’s Panel UI is a lot like HTC’s TouchFLO and TouchFLO 3D UI in that it offers users a more eye-friendly and intuitive interface with which to use the Windows Mobile operating system. But, unlike HTC, Sony Ericsson has officially welcomed the Windows Mobile development community to develop “Panels” for use with their Panel UI. With the Sony Ericsson Panel UI SDK beta now available to developers everywhere, Sony Ericsson has reached out to Windows Mobile developers looking to expand their reach.
At a press briefing this morning, Sony Ericsson presented the media with a group of Sony Ericsson officials to discuss the company’s future plans for the Panel UI. Here’s the gist of it – Sony Ericsson wants to bring Windows Mobile developers in to the mix with their Panel UI SDK. And, that opens the door to putting the Panel UI on other Windows Mobile devices. Rather than confine the Panel UI to the XPERIA sandbox, Sony Ericsson seems open to pushing their Panel UI to anyone willing to use it – possibly redefining the mobile experience in the process.
Much like Apple’s move to leverage the Mac OS developer community to make the iPhone OS and the AppStore the spectacular success that it is, Sony Ericsson has apparently taken the first steps in to making their Panel UI accessible to consumers and developers alike.
With a little luck and some serious marketing voodoo, Sony Ericsson can hopefully use the XPERIA X1 and the Panel UI to make a huge dent in the global mobile market.