Samsung launched its new open mobile platform, bada, in London yesterday. Along with demonstrating the bada SDK (Software Development Kit) to prospective developers, some of the new OS features were also presented.

The new platform will be based on Samsung’s TouchWiz User Interface, which many Samsung users will already be familiar with. It will support flash control, fine-tuned vibration control, face- and smile detection as well as featuring “sensor-based, context-aware applications”. The latter makes use of a variety of sensors, for example the accelerometer, pedometer, and proximity sensors, to enable software developers more interactivity in their apps.

Last week Samsung also shared the results of a survey into the software needs of mobile users. One of its findings were that 43% of people who downloaded apps stated that after downloading an app, they quickly get bored with it and stop using it. “There’s a clear gap in the market for killer apps which can enrich people’s mobile phone lives, and we believe that bada will be the platform to supply these apps,” explained Dr Hosoo Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of the Media Solution Center at Samsung Electronics.

Samsung is dropping Symbian for bada in 2010, which means developers will now have one extra mobile OS to cater for, joining the ranks of Windows Mobile, Android, Apple iPhone OS and RIM’s BlackBerry OS to name a few.