New Samsung patent applications discovered at the Korean Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) by GalaxyClub may reveal potential software features for future mobile devices including the upcoming Galaxy S5. Samsung is already rumored to be completely revamping its TouchWiz interface for the upcoming flagship device, and offer some features that are somewhat similar to Google Now as well as Microsoft’s Metro UI, but it may have additional tricks up its sleeve including a new tool for one-handed operation and new music player features.
In the screenshot collage below, Samsung is describing a UI that allows the user to access various apps by touching one of the four corners of the screen. Each “hot” corner includes a series of specific shortcuts that will let the user quickly access notifications, favorite apps and calls, time, weather information and directions, quite possibly while using the device with a single hand.
This could go great lengths to attract users who have balked at previous Samsung phones because of their large size, such as users who were considering making the leap from Apple’s iPhone but didn’t for fear of losing the ability to use the phone with one hand.
Samsung is apparently also interested in including certain social features with the music player, allowing users to share their music preferences with friends in their social networks – see the following screenshots:
While these may very well be features that Samsung will incorporate in its future TouchWiz UI, it’s not clear at this point whether they’ll actually be found on the Galaxy S5 when the handset launches in the coming months.
