@Keferen, it's odd how you describe the swipe UI of the N9 as cumbersome and gimmicky because this innovative UI is the one feature which has attracted users and won praise all round.

The reason why the swipe UI is so attractive is the way it mimics real life physical actions. Swiping between the various screens is like flipping the pages of a book. You swipe running apps to the multitasking screen like flicking something out from a pile. In the multitasking screen you can see a miniature version of the app and what it is doing as what you would see if you physically took out some cards and put them aside. It sure beats long pressing a button to see a list of running apps - there is no correlation with the physical world, no tactile feedback.

Another feature of the swipe UI seems gimmicky but no less important in providing tactile feedback. You can swipe partially and see the next screen appear underneath. Then you can let it fall back after checking something on the bottom screen. It's like pulling a curtain, peeking out and letting it fall back. It's intuitive, it's pleasing, it's almost visceral. It's something no other OS can give.

If you just judge the UI on how many millisecs it takes to navigate then all this may be lost on you. But you'll still feel for some unconscious reason why the N9 is so fresh, appealing and intuitive without being able to pin it down.