Xperia Sola- Sony's touch-less phone

A smartphone that allows users to browse the web by hovering a finger above links they would normally touch has been unveiled by the Japanese electronics giant Sony.

The firm describes the technology as a "floating touch" user-interface.

The Xperia Sola handset is due to go on sale in the second half of 2012.

But some mobile phone analysts question whether the feature will be practical or popular.

Touchless world

A number of firms around the world have been exploring gesture control possibilities for quite some time.

Giants such as Apple, Microsoft and US mobile phone chip maker Qualcomm, as well as several small start-ups, are currently developing camera-based touchless technology.

Their aim is to let users perform tasks such as answering the phone, navigating the web and flicking through photos using gestures - for instance, snapping fingers in front of the screen.

“Start Quote

It may be useful, for instance, when your hands are wet, but we still need to see the other practical implications of it”

Chris BarracloughMobile Choice magazine

Sony's new "floating interface" is different.

A user's finger will essentially act as a mouse cursor, highlighting a link. Once selected, it can be activated it with a single tap.

Calum MacDougall of Sony Mobile Communications called the phone's technology "a sense of magic".

Wet hands

But not everyone is that optimistic.

Chris Barraclough, devices editor at Mobile Choice magazine, said that it was unclear how popular and practical the feature would be.

"It is certainly an original piece of technology, and may be useful, for instance, when your hands are wet, but we still need to see other practical implications of it," he said.

Although it may seem that the feature could help users eliminate fingerprint smudges that inevitably cover any smartphone screen, Mr Barraclough thinks otherwise.

"I don't think it will really help - just pulling your phone out of your pocket already leaves lots of smudges," he said.

BBC.co.uk extract. Ghekotech 2012

Article continues:

While the Sola appears at first glance to have the same sort of touchscreen as other smartphones, it’s not. Sony utilizes two different types of capacitive sensors, one (mutual) which detects physical touches and a second (self) that can pick up events from a distance of about 2.2cm. Yes, floating touch on the Xperia Sola can theoretically tell what you’re pointing at from almost an inch away!

That ability, coupled with the arrival of hover events in Android 4.0, could allow for some very interesting user experiences down the road. However, right now the Xperia Sola floating touch demo Sony has posted makes the whole thing look a little futile.

The finger we’re looking at is never anywhere near an inch away from the screen. Most of the time it appears to be narrowly avoiding actually touching the display — and you can see the occasional accidental touch take place. Unless you’re intently focused on not touching the screen of your Sola, chances are good you’d probably end up touching it anyway.

Floating touch is a cool concept, but it’s just not very well suited to a handheld device that is meant to be handled and touched. It works much better in your living room or office, where the Kinect has shown repeatedly just how cool touch-free interaction can be.

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