LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in mobile communications, has won the iF Communication Design Award 2009 for the 3D S-Class User Interface featured on its latest handset, LG ARENA (LG-KM900). LG ARENA was awarded Gold in the Product Interfaces category, which includes all graphic user interfaces.
The iF Design Communication Award is given to innovative products which succeed especially well in combining functionality with convenience and esthetics. The iF Gold Award honors the best product in each category which have already been honored with an iF Design Award. The top thirty iF Gold Award winners were chosen from a total of 1,368 entries this year. LG ARENA is the first to be awarded Gold in the Product Interfaces category, a newly created division of the iF Communication Design Award. This award proves that the S-Class UI is user-friendly in operation and superior in design.
“Through recognition from this prestigious organization, LG has once again proven its design expertise and innovation not only in physical appearance but also in user interface,” said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “LG will continue to lead with products that enhance the user experience.”
From his end, Managing Director of LG Electronics Levant, Mr. Kevin Cha said, “We, at LG Electronics, are proud and pleased with this achievement, as it marks the positive reception of LG products the world over. Each LG product is a testament to our endeavors to develop the latest, state of the art technological features that are also user-friendly, within a sophisticated and elegantly designed exterior. This award spurs us on in our commitment to provide customers with only the very best in terms of quality, practicality, and modernity.”
The ARENA, LG’s flagship multimedia handset sold 500,000 units in the three months after its launch in Europe. Much of this attention has been centered on LG’s 3D S-Class User Interface, which greatly simplifies navigation and makes multimedia features easier to use. By applying 3D effects and transitions, virtual elements look and act more like real, physical objects. Essentially, the S-Class UI acts as one would expect it to, making operation highly intuitive and reducing the learning curve for the user.
LG has made the 3D S-Class UI standard on its high-end handsets, expanding it to the Viewty Smart (LG-GC900), LG-GM730 and LG-GD900 Crystal. Each of these phones is designed to fit different needs and the interface is tailored to help users get the most out of each handset.
The Viewty Smart runs the S-Class UI with modifications that make it ideal for a camera phone, including intuitive multi-touch commands for zooming in and out, one-touch mode selection for stills and video, and even an Intelligent Shot Mode Indicator that shows exactly how the phone is analyzing the scene. The version of LG’s S-Class UI in the LG-GM730 is designed to work seamlessly with the latest version of Windows Mobile, thus making this smartphone easier to use while still delivering the advanced, familiar features. The S-Class UI in the world’s first transparent phone, the LG-GD900 Crystal, responds to commands on the phone’s full touchscreen as well as its transparent, touch sensitive Crystal Touchpad.
To give customers an opportunity to experience all the benefits of the S-Class UI firsthand, LG launched a global promotional campaign, which allows customers to try S-Class on their PCs. At LG’s website, visitors can download a desktop widget and 3D screen saver, as well as play 3D games. LG’s widget demonstrates how the interface works and offers the same experience as an S-Class equipped phone by duplicating the functionality of the UI. The downloadable screensaver is based on the S-Class UI’s cube layout theme and it is customizable with a variety of animated clocks that include moving and spinning 3D cubes. There are also numerous prizes available to participants. For more information, please visit http://sclassui.lgmobile.com.
