Samsung Launches Mobile SDK, Smartphone App Development Contest

Samsung Mobile Innovator, a project that aims to provide developers with the tools, technical content and support they require to create rich applications and services, announced Aug. 17 the availability of the mobile widget software development kit for Samsung's TouchWiz user interface. According to a company statement:

With the release of the Samsung Mobile Widget SDK, developers will have the opportunity to create widgets for different Samsung phones across multiple platforms, including Samsung's propriety operating system.

"Samsung fully recognizes the challenges that developers face [in the effort] to develop and market mobile applications to consumers and businesses," said Omar Khan, senior vice president of strategy and product management [for] Samsung Telecommunications America. "The Samsung Mobile Innovator program is a global program focused on giving developers the tools and the support that they need to develop and market widgets for Samsung's lineup of TouchWiz-based devices and applications for different Samsung phones."

To read about how Verizon is wooing smartphone application developers with giveaways, click here.

The statement continued, "The Samsung Mobile Widget SDK, built on the ... open-source Eclipse platform, will provide developers with the tools they need" to develop innovative widgets. "Samsung Mobile Innovator focuses on three key areas: developer education, developer tools, and application distribution and marketing," Samsung said. According to the statement:

Through the Samsung Mobile Innovator program, developers have real-time, 24/7 access to Samsung's Virtual Device Lab, where they can check out and remotely test their applications on all current Samsung phones. Samsung's developer tool kit also includes a variety of ever-evolving SDK tools, including the TouchWiz user interface, Windows Mobile, Symbian and Java. After the widget development process is complete, Samsung Mobile Innovator offers developers the opportunity to pitch ideas directly to Samsung. These widgets have the potential to be included on Samsung devices as well as [be made available] through other channels such as the Samsung Widget Gallery and Samsung's own Application Store. The Samsung Omnia II, which will be available with Verizon Wireless later this year, will be Samsung's first handset to include the Widget Gallery.

For more information on Samsung Mobile Innovator and to download the Samsung Mobile Widget SDK, please visit http://innovator.samsungmobile.com.

Meanwhile, "to kick off the launch of the Samsung Mobile Widget SDK, Samsung will host its first Widget Developer Camp from Sept. 11 to 13, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency, San Francisco. The camp will provide select developers with the opportunity to hear from the Samsung Mobile Innovator team about the program and develop unique widgets using the SDK for a chance to win cash prizes," the company said in the statement.

"Samsung Mobile Innovator will begin accepting application submissions today [Aug. 17], at www.samsungmobileusa.com/devcamp, through Aug. 31, 2009. Selected applicants will be notified of acceptance into the camp on Sept. 2, 2009," the statement continued. At the camp, according to the statement, developers will create widgets in five categories:

· Social Media

· News/Reference

· Health/Fitness

· Travel/Entertainment

· Humor/Fun

At the end of the Widget Developer Camp, a panel of VIP judges will select a winner in each category, who will each be awarded a $5,000 prize. The judges will award one Best in Show winner, who will receive $20,000 and the opportunity to attend CTIA IT & Entertainment 2009 in San Diego from October 7-10, 2009 and have [his or her] widget showcased in Samsung's booth.

UIEvolution, a provider of "software solutions that power the delivery of rich content and connected applications across handsets, PCs, IPTV and more," helped develop the Samsung Widget SDK with Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), Samsung said.

"Through the launch of the Samsung Widget SDK with UIEvolution, we are offering our development community the ability to create innovative widgets for consumers," Samsung Mobile's Khan said in a statement. "Our goal is to make it easier and more efficient than ever before for developers to create personalized experiences for mobile consumers." According to the statement:

With the Samsung Widget SDK, developers can easily integrate Samsung APIs with code-completion, code templates and sample projects. The Samsung Widget SDK reduces the complexity of targeting multiple devices with the ability to debug and preview Widgets on target devices via a PC. In addition, a robust widget packaging services ensures Widgets are optimized for the differences between mobile browsers and platforms.

"Samsung Mobile understands that developers are faced with several options for building mobile applications, and with the Samsung Innovator Program they are demonstrating their commitment to the mobile development community," said Travis Beaven, VP of Consumer Products for UIEvolution. "We are excited to join Samsung in the launch of a rich toolset for developers to [help them] extend their services to consumers with compelling, cool and personalized Samsung Widgets."