Emblaze says First Else facing lack of interest

Israel-based Emblaze on Wednesday said it was canceling development of the First Else. Partly confirming early suspicions, the company said there had been "encouraging interest" from partners but said it couldn't reach a deal. It similarly faced "critical delays" in getting the project done.

Instead, the company plans to focus on licensing its Else Intuition UI platform. The decision was spun as an upside as the company could reduce its costs and get to profitability sooner.

The First Else was to have been a media phone taking advantage of Else Intuition to improve the ease of touchscreen phones. Emblaze's interface is unique as it lets owners use much of the phone's controls single-handed, in many cases with just the thumb.

The step back comes as Emblaze is increasingly relying on its lawsuits for business. It mentioned as part of the cancellation that it's still in talks with Apple and Microsoft to press for a royalty deal. No progress was mentioned in either case, both of which accuse the involved companies of violating patents Emblaze holds on media streaming.

By Electronista Staff