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Concept screens for UIQ platform

Challenges abounded when we were assigned to transfer Skype’s successful PC application for Internet based voice communication to the world of mobile phones. Apart from the obvious challenge of having users understand the concept of a “phone in a phone”, there were others hurdles that had to be overcome.

First and foremost the challenge was to take this application and move it to the mobile, carefully balancing what features should be included and what should be omitted.
Secondly, this wasn’t just a question of moving Skype to one mobile platform. The Ocean team had to come up with UI designs that would make users instantly feel at home whether it was a Windows Mobile or UIQ device with touchscreen or a standard Nokia phone running Series 60.
Detailed UI specification
Finally, in many cases the Skype clients were cutting-edge from a technological point of view. For instance, Wi-Fi in mobile phones was a brand new phenomenon, requiring solutions to non-trivial problems like network configuration and handover. E.g. what should happen if the user starts a call in a café with Wi-Fi coverage but then leaves the venue and continues talking on the way home, having only GPRS/3G coverage?
Hutchison 3
INQ
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