New Samsung Android handsets in Nigeria to feature Celltick Start-based UI

Celltick, creator of the Android lockscreen replacement app Start, has announced a new partnership with Samsung West Africa that will see it develop a custom Start-based Galaxy 11 interface for all Android-based Samsung smartphones in the region. Additionally, Start will be the launcher of choice, trumping Samsung’s and Android’s native offerings.

Founded in 2000, Celltick has endeavored to morph the smartphone’s usually barren lockscreen into an “interactive personalized billboard.” Start comes pretty close to this.

If the app’s appearance is anything to go by, the UI should be particularly spiffy, clean and user friendly. Available for other Android devices via Google’s App Store, Start aims to provide improved functionality and a heightened level of personalisation over the standard Android lock screen. It also provides a recommendation service that encourages monetisation opportunities for companies, by suggesting content feeds and targeted links. The two companies will also offer a coupon system, cooperating with other local merchants and partners, that they hope will promote brand loyalty and ease of use for consumers.

Above and beyond this, the app also allows users to pick themes and shortcuts, displays important one-touch information like notifications and boasts a host of plugins allowing users to add even more functionality to the app.

Emmanouil Revmatas, Director IM, Samsung Electronics West Africa, aims to provide Nigerian users with the best mobile experience, and believes that the localized and custom-built interface will do just that.

“Our partnership with Celltick allows us to create a custom Galaxy 11 localized interface for our users in Nigeria and Africa as a whole delivering a completely unique user experience. With Start, we will provide our customers with increased flexibility and complete freedom while helping them benefit from faster access to the most relevant features as well as access to money saving valuable coupons on the device.”

Users will likely see the modified UI in action in Samsung’s upcoming regional handset launches, but no pilot model has been mentioned by either company as yet.