MobiWire has launched Surface UX, a new surface user interface for Android smartphones.
The surface interface aims to simplify usage and encourage exploration and conversion. Surface UX builds on the open Android platform to create a rich and intuitive user experience that combines personalization with a deeply branded and connected experience, according to MobiWire.
The company says it has taken the standard Android UI and enhanced by aggregating content and presenting it in a contextualized and easily navigable and surfaced UI.
It has also developed a series of patented Surface Apps which act as super widgets, aggregating content into a series of UI panes that can be defined and branded by the service provider.
“As we look beyond apps, the user interface is a dynamic environment where multiple feeds of data, content and services come together to create a definable experience,” says Jerome Nadel, EVP user experience at MobiWire. “By bringing the principles of relevance, context and intuition to the UI design process, Surface UX delivers a connected user experience that is unmatched in the way it takes full advantage of the power and flexibility of the Android platform, creating a UI that encourages usage and exploration, and simplifies conversion to buy services and products.”
Surface UX offers home screen main menu structure, which allows vendors to keep pre-loaded and branded apps separate from a users downloaded apps. 
The interface also allows for personalised shortcuts that remain visible on any pane, allowing for user-defined shortcuts for favourite apps.
The Surface Apps enable the brand partner to push services in real-time and provide a one-tap access to their stores and digital services, says MobiWire.
“An optimized Android UI simplifies the out-of-the box experience, encourages usage and device mastery,” says Sylvain Gommier, director of user experience at MobiWire. “The general improvements to the Android UI, together with the patented Surface Apps, means the content that matters most can be aggregated, surfaced and presented in a way that is consistent, easy to navigate and contextualized.”
Surface UX runs on Android 2.3 multi-touch smartphones. It is available to brand, retail, and device partners today. The first devices with the Surface UX will be available to consumers through brand partners in Q2 2011. Surface UX will be available on Android 3.0 tablets in the second half of 2011.
