SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb 25, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Immersion Corporation (Nasdaq:IMMR), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology (http://www.immersion.com/corporate/), today announced that over 10 million mobile phones with VibeTonz® technology have been shipped by licensees, including 5.5 million shipped in 2007. In addition, several new VibeTonz-enabled mobile phone models were recently announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 11-14. Three of the four top mobile phone manufacturers in the world -- LG, Nokia, and Samsung -- are VibeTonz licensees.

The VibeTonz Platform has been incorporated into over 35 phone models targeted at a wide range of markets and demographics. Phones with VibeTonz tactile feedback technology have been sold broadly in Asia -- in China, India, and Korea -- as well as throughout Europe and the Americas. The technology is used in such phones as the Samsung SCH-n330 youth phone; the feature-rich, mass-market Samsung SCH-A930; the LG VX10000 Voyager touchscreen phone; and high-end designer phones like the Samsung Armani and Prada by LG.

At the 2008 Mobile World Congress, the largest mobile event in the world, LG showcased the popular Viewty model with VibeTonz-enabled touchscreen that "touches back." LG also introduced the KF600 phone featuring a secondary InteractPad enhanced with VibeTonz tactile feedback, as well as the KF700, another high-end touchscreen phone. Samsung debuted four VibeTonz-enabled phones, including the Soul (SGH-U900), SGH-F480, SGH-F490, and SGH-G400.

"That tactile feedback, or haptics, is gaining momentum in the wireless industry and elsewhere is not surprising when you understand the contribution it makes to user productivity and satisfaction," explains Immersion CEO Victor Viegas. "In addition, our VibeTonz Platform cost-effectively enables a very long list of enhancements that can improve the user experience."

The VibeTonz Platform lets mobile phone manufacturers and content developers embed touch sensations in the handset user interface, media, and applications, including for:

-- Providing unmistakable tactile confirmation in response to touchscreen or button presses

-- Empowering caller ID with distinctive vibrations matching a melody or song that let users know who is calling even when sound is turned off

-- Enlivening mobile games with touch feedback similar to that found in console games

-- Supplying pulses when scrolling over items, allowing favorites, friends, or unread emails to feel a bit different for easier, faster identification

-- Heightening the music and ringtone fun-factor by "turning up the subwoofers" with a vibe beat

-- Making alerts more discernible and memorable by varying how they feel: the beat of a team's fight song tells the user a message with the latest score has arrived

Independent research has shown that haptics can increase user speed and accuracy, reduce complication and stress, and improve user satisfaction. More information on research performed by companies and universities can be found in the Immersion white paper, Haptics: Improving the Mobile User Experience through Touch, http://www.immersion.com/improving-mobileUE.php.

About the VibeTonz Platform

The field-proven VibeTonz Platform, comprised of VibeTonz Mobile Player and VibeTonz SDK, delivers a broad range of touch feedback effects to make user interface features, applications, and downloadable, multimedia content more intuitive and engaging. Embedded in a mobile handset, VibeTonz Mobile Player exerts precise, high-speed control over the device's vibration actuator to produce tactile effects with unprecedented subtlety and dynamics. VibeTonz SDK provides cross-platform APIs and a suite of authoring tools for making development and customization of touch feedback effects fast and easy.

About Immersion (www.immersion.com)

Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Using Immersion's advanced touch feedback technology (http://www.immersion.com/corporate/products/), electronic user interfaces can be made more productive, compelling, entertaining, or safer. Immersion's technology is deployed across automotive, entertainment, industrial controls, medical training, mobility, and three-dimensional simulation markets. Immersion's patent portfolio includes over 700 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of Immersion Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

All statements, other than the statements of historical fact, are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenues, or other financial matters; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning the breadth of and timeline to implement touch feedback technology into handset models or touchscreens or into games or other content; release of VibeTonz-enabled handsets; any statements regarding consumer response that may occur as a result of having touch feedback in handsets or content or consumer and market acceptance of force feedback products in general; proposed products or services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; statements of belief; and any statement or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Immersion's actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with our business which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for our products or a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of force feedback as a critical user experience.

For a more detailed discussion of these factors, and other factors that could cause actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in our most current Form 10-Q, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect our beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. We disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of financial, business, or any other developments occurring after the date of this release.

Immersion, the Immersion logo, and VibeTonz are trademarks of Immersion Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE: Immersion Corporation

A&R Edelman
Angie Ayala, +1-650-762-2952
aayala@ar-edelman.com 

 

Copyright Business Wire 2008

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