Qualcomm has inked a licensing deal for its UIone application with Alltel, which plans to preload the application, branded as Celltop on all future handsets by late this year. Celltop is a widgetized application that splits the phone's screen into two columns and can display two different applications or functions at once. Users can then select one to "zoom" in on and focus on that particular app. In the split screen mode, the user can scroll either left or right and move to new screens with other apps on them. Alltel is a bit unique in the U.S. in that it charges per minute of airtime for data services, but the carrier also offers a $10/month "unlimited" data plan.
The deal marks the second major UIOne deal for Qualcomm, which inked a big deal with Sprint and its cable MSO partners for their wireless service. While Alltel already makes use of Qualcomm's BREW in its handsets, Sprint does not, so the JV's choice of UIOne back in November was more surprising. The JV plans to create custom user interfaces that will incorporate the specifics of each cable operator. As the JV's president, John Garcia said: "We are trying to leverage the localness because the cable companies have a strong local presence. It's not about video; it's about customization."
For more on UIOne:
- read this article from Mobile Burn