With more confirmation that HTC will be releasing their Android powered device by the end of the year, it might be time we start looking into what the devices interface will look like. The first thing that comes to mind is that Google has given clear indication that the Android platform can be tailored to fit almost any use you can imagine. They have also said you can slap on any UI you would like as well. So far we have seen two distinct interfaces from Google, but I can almost guarantee you that you will not see that interface on many devices once Android handsets start shipping in mass early next year. Manufacturers will be spending a lot of time trying to differentiate themselves and the easiest way to do so is by customizing the UI.
HTC started this trend in Windows Mobile devices last year when they launched the Touch. Their TouchFLO interface gave users easier access to applications and other features on their phone which typically would require them to pull out a stylus. This year, HTC took TouchFLO one step further, introducing us to Touch FLO 3D. HTC was able to completely cover up the default Windows Mobile interface and give an entirely new experience on a WM device. The only problem was that TouchFLO 3D was simply added on top of the Windows interface since Microsoft is not too keen on letting people play around with the underlining framework of their OS.
Android is a whole new game. Google has given developers access to the UI and is allowing them to make any changes they want. This could be great for manufacturers who choose to develop simple android phones with a nice list menu interface, but manufacturers like HTC will be taking full advantage of the opportunity. I’d expect HTC to deliver an experience very similar to that of TouchFLO 3D, but since they can actually change the interface rather than slapping it on top of another one, the implementation and performance should be a lot better than that seen on the HTC Touch Diamond.
