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Samsung First to Launch Digital Music Player With Immersion?s Touch Feedback

^{Published on 2009-01-08 04:01:03, Last Modified on 2009-11-02 16:16:15 - Market Wire}
 

SAN JOSE, Calif. & LAS VEGAS--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ:IMMR), the leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, powers the advanced haptic (touch feedback) user experience in Samsung's new subscription-enabled digital media player, the P3. The P3, the first digital media player in the world to include touch feedback, is showing at this week's Consumer Electronics Showcase in Las Vegas and is expected to begin shipping in the first half of 2009.

"One of the world's leading consumer brands, Samsung is an innovator in implementing Immersion touch feedback in consumer electronics," said Craig Vachon, vice president and general manager, Immersion's Mobility line of business. "Early on, the company recognized the value of haptics for the mobile phone user experience. Now they're applying haptic advantages to other consumer devices. The P3 is a breakthrough product, a very fine example of how haptics can take a product experience to completely new levels of entertainment, usability, and engagement."

Samsung has already shipped millions of touch-enabled mobile phone handsets powered by Immersion. The company recently claimed a CES 2009 Innovations award for its haptic-powered Instinct phone.

"Only Immersion provides the sophisticated level of touch feedback that enables our delivering innovative new experiences, not just for touchscreen confirmation, but for richer and vastly more enjoyable audio, video, and gaming experiences as well," said a senior manager at Samsung.

Immersion's TouchSense® haptics technology enables fun and distinctive interactions with the Samsung P3. A swipe across the P3's slider brings up media player controls enlivened with touch feedback response. Users feel unmistakable tactile confirmation when powering on or off and when navigating menus and playlists on its large touchscreen. Haptics confirms selections, enabling users to quickly and confidently find the songs, videos, or games they want to play. These actions prove more engaging with touch feedback, supplying a palpable physical connection with the user.

Additional haptic features in the P3 include an innovative VibeWoofer that can be turned on to add bass depth to beat, rhythms, and video soundtrack. The on-board Bubble Bang game comes alive with gaming-console-like rumble, providing heightened realism, fun, and excitement. Similar to Samsung's Haptic 2 phone, the P3 includes 24 onscreen widgets that play fun tactile effects: the vibration of a kitten's meow, subtle sensations of petals falling from a virtual flower, the crunch of a virtual cookie, and slight friction when stirring a virtual coffee cup.

Market research firm iSuppli estimates that shipments of touchscreens will more than double from 2008 to 2012, from 341 million to 833 million units. Rapid touchscreen adoption illustrates the dramatic shift in user experience across the broad range of consumer devices including mobile phones, MP3 players, personal navigation devices, digital cameras, and others. Immersion's haptic technology plays a central role in shaping user experience with touchscreens and other interfaces. Haptic response provides the necessary user feedback required to deliver truly intuitive interaction even when physical buttons are eliminated -- and to significantly improve gaming and other media experiences.

About TouchSense ([ www.immersion.com/industrial ])

TouchSense technology delivers the unmistakable confirmation of touch feedback, enabling innovative designers to deliver intuitive user experiences that satisfy and delight. TouchSense solutions incorporate hundreds of patented technologies including mechanical, electrical, software, and firmware elements. They are used in touchscreens, touch panels, touch surfaces, programmable rotary technology, and handheld products. Applications include automotive, consumer electronics, gaming, machine control, mobile phone, and office automation product interfaces. Immersion can assist licensees with development and integration to make achieving the benefits of tactile 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 ([ http://www.immersion.com/corporate ]), 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 the statement regarding the shipment of P3. 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 of Samsung or Immersion to achieve their respective production deadlines.

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