14 DAY TRIAL // Sony Ericsson has finally completed the acquisition of the Swedish software company UIQ Technology AB, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Symbian Ltd.
The mobile phone manufacturer did not reveal any financial details regarding the acquisition, but did announce that as UIQ technology will become a subsidiary it will retain its current management team.
Sony Ericsson was the main manufacturer to offer UIQ-based phones, with several devices including the P series (P800, P900, P910i, P990), the M600 and the W950 running on the OS, and the only surprise is that it took them so long to actually buy it from Symbian. They have also been working closely with the company on UIQ version 3.0 included in several Sony Ericsson phones.
“UIQ offers excellent technical flexibility enabling us to provide compelling features such as push email, internet browsing, end user personalization, and enhanced music applications,” said Sony Ericsson’s CTO, Mats Lindoff, in a statement. Mats continued: “By acquiring UIQ Technology we will further invest and exploit the full potential of UIQ on Symbian OS for phone vendors, mobile operators, developers and consumers.”
After the acquisition, three of the mobile phone manufacturers now have their own operating system layers with Nokia's S60, Sony Ericsson's newly acquired UIQ and Motorola's Linux-based OS for mobile phones which is considered cheaper, more flexible and innovative.
UIQ technology, that uses Symbian OS, licenses the UIQ UI and application development platform to mobile phone vendors worldwide. After the completion of the acquisition, UIQ in Symbian OS will continue to be openly available and licensed on equal terms to all its licensees. Sony Ericsson also intends to communicate its strategic vision for the development of the UIQ technology very soon.