It is being reported that the Symbian software developer, UIQ - which is jointly owned by Sony Ericsson and Motorola - has filed for bankruptcy in a district court in Sweden.
UIQ (formerly known as User Interface Quartz) by UIQ Technology is a software platform based upon Symbian OS. Essentially this is a graphical user interface layer that provides additional components to the core OS, to enable the development of feature-rich mobile phones that are open to expanded capabilities through third-party applications.
The company has been cutting staff since its Symbian platform was sold to Nokia and made available free as an open-source software service.
Patrick Olson of Sony Ericsson announced at the Smartphone Show 2008 in London that UIQ didn't make it into the Symbian Foundation, as it didn't attract the operator, manufacturer or consumer interest needed to stop it failing.
"There are no opportunities to create a new line of business in the current financial climate," UIQ Chief Executive Johan Sandberg told Reuters.
The company has around 200 employees
Sony Ericsson brought UIQ in Feb 2007 and sold 50% to Motorola in October that year.
On the web: Reuters
Posted to the site on 5th January 2009
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/35347.php