UIQ upgrades customisation and operator options
Releases UIQ 3.3
UIQ Technology today announced the availability of UIQ 3.3. The latest release of the software is intended to offer mobile phone manufacturers more opportunities to differentiate and diversify their product portfolios, offering operator services and extending UIQ into the mass market.
UIQ 3.3, based on Symbian OS v 9.3, includes incremental enhancements that UIQ Technology says are in line with market requirements - including enhanced support for operator services and customisation for addressing different market segments. The handset software platform, which sits on top of the open OS, competes with the likes of Series 60 and Microsoft platforms, was previously wholly owned by Sony Ericsson, but saw investment in 2007 from Motorola, which took a 50% share.
UIQ 3.3 includes:
- Opera Mobile 9 browser, with its fast page rendering and its Pan & Zoom functionalities, offers the web experience of a full-scale browser in a mobile environment
- UIQ Dashboard: UIQ 3.3 is prepared for mobile widgets and features a dashboard, accessible system wide by pushing the widget button
- Opera Widgets: Opera widgets run on UIQ 3.3, offering the user direct access to content and opening up for new mobile services
- Unified Messaging Platform: integrated communication experience
- Java JSR 248 MSA Fullset: Developers can create and deploy a wide range of applications using the Mobile Services Architecture (MSA)
"UIQ 3.3 will significantly enhance the options for creating differentiated mobile phones for different segments and different price ranges," said Mats Barvesten EVP Product Management and Ecosystems. "Operators are also given the opportunity to promote their services through customized folders and a widget dashboard. We have integrated the Opera Mobile 9.5 web browser and added a number of new functions and possibilities that are in line with our strategy to enable phones with world class user experience."
With an aim to extend UIQ based mobile phones into the mass-market, UIQ's focus is to ensure a flexible and powerful open user interface and development platform that optimizes the options for mobile phone manufacturers to create higher volume phones for the market.
"The UIQ platform is a key enabler for several of Motorola's multimedia-centric devices - including our new MOTO Z10 kick-slider handset, which offers users a host of features and applications for a unique mobile video experience," said Christy Wyatt, Vice President, Software Platforms & Ecosystem, Motorola. "We look forward to supporting UIQ 3.3 in future mobile devices, leveraging its new capabilities to further enhance customer experiences, and working closely with UIQ to provide the essential toolsets to our developer community."
"With UIQ 3.3, including a number of web based technologies, we see the platform evolving further to enable even richer user experience," said Ulf Persson, Corporate Vice President and Head of PBU Open Platform at Sony Ericsson. "We welcome this release and are committed to developing and delivering products on UIQ 3.3."
Antony Edwards, Vice President Developer Product Marketing, Symbian, said "UIQ 3.3 will bring a host of new opportunities for developers wanting to innovate on a powerful user interface platform, including new APIs such as SQL. Symbian OS v 9.3 strengthens the offering for handset manufacturers with its robust and scalable OS, enhanced phone performance and hardware capabilities, allowing them to bring differentiated phones to market more quickly."
The Beta SDK (Software Development Kit) for UIQ 3.3 on Symbian OS v 9.3 is available for downloading on developer.uiq.com
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