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A screenshot of the UIQ one-handed interface
A screenshot of the UIQ 3 pen-based interface on the P990
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.
Native applications can be written in C++ using the Symbian/UIQ SDK. All UIQ-based phones (2.x and 3.x) also support Java applications.
Version 2.0 and 2.1 are pen-based and used in the following 2.5G and 3G smartphones: Sony Ericsson P800/P900/P910, BenQ P30/P31 and Arima U300/U308, Nokia 6708, Motorola A920/A925/A1000/M1000.
UIQ phones employ touch screens with a resolution of 208×320 pixels (UIQ 1.x & 2.x) and 240×320 (UIQ 3.x). Depending on the phone, the color depth is 12-bit (4096 colors), 16-bit (65536 colors), or 18-bit (262144 colors) on some newer phones.
UIQ 3.1 is the first Non-Touch screen based version of the platform and also support one handed operation and a number of significant enhancements.
UIQ 3.2 is the latest iteration of the platform and which enhances Java API including the MSA profile being mandated as well as a richer messaging suite with MMS Postcard, IM Client OMA IMPS 1.2, push E-mail and support for sharing media for Web Browser. The new version still uses the v3.1 SDK
A new UIQ optimized for Touchscreen interface was under development, several screenshots were shown at the Smartphone show on october and is reported to make use for Touch Screen more efficient than the earlier versions.
For developers the significant items are:
- Single SDK model - developers targeting core UIQ features can use the UIQ SDK to target any UIQ 3 device. Extensions targeting specific device features (such as WiFi, etc) are available from phone manufacturers websites.
- Increased tools support - developers can use whichever tools they are familiar with (DevStudio, Eclipse, Carbide, CodeWarrior, NetBeans). Many of these tools are beginning to support extensive RAD features for both C++ and Java developers.
- High volume, mid-range devices are now possible, to significantly increase the potential customer base.
The first phone to utilize UIQ 3 is the Sony Ericsson P990.
The first phone with UIQ 3.1 is Motorola's RIZR Z8.
The first phone with UIQ 3.2 is Motorola Motorizr Z10.
In October 2007, Motorola bought 50% of UIQ from Sony Ericsson (who bought it from Symbian for an undisclosed sum).
List of UIQ 3.x Phones
The following is a list of the smartphones that have been announced as running the UIQ 3.x platform.
PDA-style design (similar to a handheld computer)
Slider design
See also
S60 platform, another Symbian-based platform.
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