N@N

Immersion Powers Haptic User Experiences in Award-Winning Mobile Phones

^{Published on 2008-12-09 07:03:35, Last Modified on 2009-11-02 16:30:54 - Market Wire}
 

SAN JOSE, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ:IMMR), the leading developer and licensor of [ touch feedback technology ] ([ http://www.immersion.com/corporate/ ]), announced today that two mobile phones with its haptic (touch feedback) technology have been honored by the Consumer Electronics Association's prestigious CES 2009 Innovations Awards. The LG Dare (VX9700) was named "Best of Innovations" and the Samsung Instinct (SPH-m800) was recognized as an "Innovations Honoree" in the wireless handset category. Immersion will display the award-winning phones, plus its touch feedback technology for gaming and touchscreens, at CES, Jan. 8 - 11 in Las Vegas, booth South 2 26115.

CES Innovations Award winners, selected annually by a panel of industry designers, engineers, and journalists, exemplify the most innovative consumer electronics products. Leading manufacturers realize that touch feedback is a requirement for satisfying user experiences, providing unmistakable input confirmation for touchscreen, keypad, and button presses, as well as enhancing music and mobile gameplay. Honorees will be featured during CES 2009 in a special display at the Sands Expo and Convention Center.

"Emphasis on user experience has never been greater, driving increasing interest in haptics technology. We see huge growth in both the number of units and models sold worldwide that integrate our haptic solutions including handsets that are widely available in the U.S.," said Immersion's Craig Vachon, vice president and general manager, Mobility. "The Innovations Awards further underscore that touch feedback is a key differentiator that provides more intuitive interaction and the kind of user experience that sets new standards."

Adoption of touch feedback for mobile phones is rapidly accelerating. In the first quarter of 2008, 3.5 million phones shipped that included Immersion's technology. In the second quarter, the number doubled, increasing to 7 million units, and in third quarter, the number increased to 10 million units. To date, more than 35 million handsets with Immersion's haptic technology have shipped around the world.

About the VibeTonz® Platform ([ developer.immersion.com ])

The field-proven VibeTonz® Platform, comprised of VibeTonz Mobile Player and VibeTonz SDK, delivers a broad range of touch feedback effects to make user interface features, applications, and downloadable, multimedia content more intuitive and engaging. Embedded in mobile devices, VibeTonz Mobile Player exerts precise, high-speed control over the vibration actuator to produce touch feedback effects with unprecedented subtlety and dynamics. VibeTonz SDK provides cross-platform APIs and a suite of authoring tools for making development and customization of haptic feedback fast and easy.

About Immersion ([ www.immersion.com ])

Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is the recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Using Immersion's advanced touch feedback technology, electronic user interfaces are more compelling, entertaining, and in many applications, safer and more productive. Immersion's technology has helped manufacturers develop innovative and creative solutions for products such as hundreds of video games and leading video console gaming systems, medical training simulators installed around the world, driver controls for automotive manufacturers, and mobile phones, such as those from LG and Samsung. Immersion's patent portfolio includes over 700 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of Immersion Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

All statements, other than the statements of historical fact, are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenues, or other financial matters; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning the breadth of and timeline to implement touch feedback technology into handset models or touchscreens or into games or other content; any statement regarding the release of VibeTonz-enabled handsets; any statements regarding consumer response that may occur as a result of having touch feedback in handsets or content or consumer and market acceptance of force feedback products in general; proposed products or services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; statements of belief; and any statement or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Immersion's actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with our business which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for our products or a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of force feedback as a critical user experience.

For a more detailed discussion of these factors, and other factors that could cause actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in our most current Form 10-Q, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect our beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. We disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of financial, business, or any other developments occurring after the date of this release.

Immersion, the Immersion logo, and VibeTonz are trademarks of Immersion Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.