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Manufacturers who build Symbian-based handsets add a second interface layer, the most well-known and popular being Nokia's own S60 platform. Another is UIQ, developed and managed by a Swedish company called UIQ Technology, which is owned by Symbian itself ... for now.

That’s because UIQ's chief licensee Sony Ericsson appears to have decided to save on the trouble and expense of paying licensing fees, as it has agreed to buy the Symbian subsidiary. Almost half of all available UIQ-based smartphones ever created belong to Sony Ericsson, with most of the rest shipping from Motorola and Arima.

Sony Ericsson says UIQ Technology will continue to operate independently once the acquisition is completed. In addition, as Nokia does somewhat unsuccessfully with S60, the UIQ platform will still be available for license to other phone vendors.

To use a housing metaphor, Symbian is the foundation, plumbing, and electrical system; the interface is the furnishings and appliances; and the hardware is the frame upon which a smartphone is built. Between S60 and UIQ, the former is by far the more commonly-used interface, accounting for more smartphones worldwide than any other.

UIQ does offer some advantages over its rival, however. One of the most important, to many consumers and (obviously) Sony Ericsson, is its support for touch screens.

Now on version 3.0, UIQ has been used in 13 smartphones, including - most recently - Sony Ericsson's W950 Walkman phone, M600 dual-function keyboard model (see image), and P990; the latest member of the most successful UIQ handset series ever, which began with the P800 and includes the P900 and P910.

"UIQ offers excellent technical flexibility enabling us to provide compelling features such as push email, internet browsing, end user personalization, and enhanced music applications," said Sony Ericsson CTO Mats Lindoff. "By acquiring UIQ Technology we will further invest and exploit the full potential of UIQ on Symbian OS for phone vendors, mobile operators, developers and consumers."

Symbian said the sale is a win for itself and UIQ Technology. The British company's CEO Nigel Clifford asserts the announcement "is a positive development as it will strengthen the capabilities and services available for phones based on UIQ and Symbian OS whilst allowing us to focus on the core product development of Symbian OS for the mass market."