MWC: No UIQ for Windows Mobile
Rating: What’s the point? We really like Symbian
With Motorola, Sony Ericsson and UIQ all sitting at the same table here at the MWC, I had to ask the inevitable question, “Is UIQ going to develop for the Windows Mobile environment?”
UIQ CEO Johan Sandberg’s reply summed it all up. “What and get out of the UI business?” he asked.
Technically speaking, Sandberg admitted that it would be possible to graft the UI interface onto Windows but confessed he couldn’t see a business case for doing do. UIQ is now owned by Sony Ericsson, so in theory if it wants to do so, UIQ wouldn’t have much choice.
However, Sandberg’s take on Sony Ericsson’s decision to announce the X1 Windows Mobile handset was simply, “business as usual for us. Our customers have always produced handsets for multiple platforms.”
Sony Ericsson’ Per Aspemar helped put the X1 announcement into perspective. His company wants to expand its market share and to do so it can’t just remain a niche player. So Windows Mobile is just another box to be ticked.
Referring to the insidious influence that the Apple iPhone has brought, Sandberg admitted that customers were now more focussed on the “finger touch” aspect of a UI. He wasn’t sure that enabling ‘pinching’ to control a video file on the small screen of a handset like Sony Ericsson’s G-700 would have any measurable benefits.
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