Sony Ericsson is buying UIQ Technology, a software subsidiary of Symbian that licenses the UIQ user interface and application development platform to mobile phone vendors worldwide. However, Sony Ericsson is the last remaining major licensee of the UIQ. Motorola, Nokia and BenQ have used the UI in the past but dropped it, likely because they didn't want to subsidize Sony Ericsson's UI development. Symbian reportedly pushed for the sale as now it can focus on the OS, leaving handset makers to develop their own UIs.
To read more about Sony Ericsson's purchase of UIQ:
- check out this release
- take a look at PhoneScoop's report