Smartphone operating systems divide users. Your love or hatred of a user interface runs deep, but the problem is that so do each platform’s quirks: they have to stay separate because any attempt to copy various aspects normally end up in a lawsuit. It’s brave of Sharp, then, to try and merge the three biggest into one simple whole.
This is Feel UX, the latest skin for Sharp’s next generation Aquos phones in Japan. And we think it’s pretty special. The interface borrows heavily from Windows Phone and iOS, while keeping some of the best bits from Android. Notably, you’ve got massive, thumb-friendly icons and organisable widgets.
So far, so iOS and Android, but it’s the lock screen that’s got more than a hint of Microsoft and Metro. And it’s the lock screen that’s the most interesting bit. Feel UX lets you access a wealth of features without having to unlock the phone, all through gestures.
Is Microsoft’s Metro a design revelation?
Swipe left and right, for instance, and you can look through your photo albums. Swipe the Metro-inspired time display right or left to reveal either music controls or the weather. It’s all very swish and very heavily redesigned to the point where you can barely see any Android left in it, aside from a few Holo-style touches.
It’ll probably divide users as any OS does, but take a look at the video below and let us know your thoughts:
