Sony Ericsson To Buy UIQ from Symbian

Sony Ericsson, the world’s fourth largest mobile-phone maker, has agreed to buy software company UIQ Technology, whose applications are used on many of Sony Ericsson’s high-end handsets.

“UIQ offers excellent technical flexibility, enabling us to provide compelling features such as push e-mail, Internet browsing, end-user personalization, and enhanced music applications,” Mats Lindoff, the company’s chief technology officer, said in a statement.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. However, Sony Ericsson expects the transaction to be completed over the next few months, pending regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

UIQ Technology will operate as a separate subsidiary under Sony Ericsson, and its products will be “openly available, licensed on equal terms to all its licensees,” according to the company.

Capabilities, Services

Sony Ericsson is already the largest licensee of UIQ’s software, with UIQ 3.0 being used in the recent P990, M600, and W950 handsets.

The buy is expected to strengthen the capabilities and services available for phones based on UIQ 3.0 and the popular Symbian OS while allowing the company to focus on core product development.

“By acquiring UIQ, we will further invest and exploit the full potential of UIQ on Symbian’s operating system for phone vendors, mobile operators, developers and consumers,” said Lindoff.

Linked Past

This latest deal is part of a long history of partnerships between all three companies. In 1998, Ericsson Mobile Communications set up Mobile Applications Lab, the company that went on to become UIQ. And in 1999, UIQ became part of Symbian.

The move comes just days after Sony Ericsson competitor Vodafone announced it is working with Microsoft to develop software in an effort to ramp up new smartphone services. According to Vodafone, the companies are working on software designed to speed up the development of new services and applications for Windows Mobile devices.

The first device to be built using the new Microsoft-Vodafone software will come from handset vendor Samsung and will be released in the first half of 2007.

Source: newsfactor.com