The Samsung V960 Optical Joystick Phone offers a completely unique method of navigating the menu system. This is the world’s first mobile phone featuring an optical joystick according to a recent press release from Samsung.

The optical joystick is used by placing your finger on a small button which moves a cursor on the screen to navigate through the menu and other functions of the phone. Optical sensors read and react to the movement of your finger resulting in quick and easy menu navigation.

This will be a welcome change from the familiar and traditional four-way menu navigation systems on many mobile devices. Users can now point the cursor and click directly on icons and directly access frequently used menus such as photo album, messaging, and music menu or scrolling through a playlist.

The Samsung V960 also includes a ‘Smart Lighting’ feature that automatically controls the brightness of the LCD screen and keypad. This feature will help protect users from eye strain and will also minimize power consumption for increased efficiency.

The V960 will be launched in the Korean market at the end of December.