SPB Software announced the latest version of SPB Mobile Shell at MWC this week. Unlike previous versions which were available only for Windows Mobile, SPB Mobile Shell 5.0 will support Android and Symbian as well as Windows Mobile.
Major updates to the new version include a new 3D engine and an improved social networking integration. The former means support for new types of eye candy effects such as 3D Media Player, 3D Photo Viewer, 3D Weather, dynamic 3D widgets and more, while the latter involves message, contacts, photo and status sync with popular services, namely Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
One important innovation in SPB Mobile Shell 5.0 is the Natural Interaction Engine which includes support for G-sensor and multitouch, a dedicated Feedback Engine providing realistic visual and haptic responses, and a Physics Engine responsible for the real-world behavior of all objects.
SPB will also provide SPB UI Builder 2.0 with SPB Mobile Shell 5.0. This tool will allow for simpler customization and comes with APIs for pluggable components, the skin builder and a set of plug-ins for a number of design tools.
SPB Software has yet to outline when SPB Mobile Shell 5.0 will be available and how much it costs.