Sony Ericsson ties up with Microsoft for Windows Mobile devices

Microsoft has now won a veritable superfecta of licensing, landing deals with four of the top five phone manufacturers in the world to provide handsets based on Windows Mobile. The latest, announced today at Barcelona's Mobile World Congress, is Sony Ericsson -- a company heavily vested in Symbian by way of its UIQ division, so it's unclear how the licensing deal will ultimately affect UIQ-based offerings. Stay tuned for more on the deal and details on Sony Ericsson's WinMo-based hardware!

[Shadowise @ Feb 10th 2008 1:34PM]

So is Nokia the last man standing out of the 5? I guess that's why Microsoft keeps bugging Nokia to use WM OS...

[trevor @ Feb 10th 2008 10:03PM]

I'm surprised no one has cried "monopoly" yet. Whether you like Microsoft or not, you've gotta admit, they're working pretty hard to squeeze out the Mobile OS competition here.

[Alexkass @ Feb 10th 2008 1:47PM]

nokia is next? :p

[Tati Viana @ Feb 10th 2008 1:50PM]

I love Sony Ericsson cellphones!
This is the best.

Hugs
Tati

[Anthony @ Feb 10th 2008 11:09PM]

I love SE cell phones too but this is the worst! :(

[Moff @ Feb 10th 2008 2:02PM]

Or this prototype going on Ebay.

Although, according to the lister, it supports GSM, CDMA, etc. And works with all carriers. So, this might be a post for Keeping it real fake.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140204932509&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

[XiozTzu @ Feb 10th 2008 2:27PM]

Has the iPhone spooked MS into all these deals?

[Jeff Lewis @ Feb 10th 2008 5:39PM]

Uh... The iPhone "spooked" Microsoft into all these deals? Microsoft doesn't make phones - they sell OSes. They've been trying to get into deals with everyone - that's what companies who sell software do.

If anything, the iPhone has spooked the phone makers who realise that their old Symbian based simplephones aren't enough - and that the UIQ platform is too difficult and inflexible to change enough to keep up.

New UI systems like PointUI (www.pointui.com) show what you can actually do with WiMo and in a lot less space than the iPhone needs and with much better development tools and support (at least until we finally find out what the iPhone/iPod touch SDK comes out later this month - and possibly after that).

The fact that more phone makers are jumping to WiMo is basically a consolidation move. You're going to get Symbian and custom OSes on simple/cheap phones, WiMo on higher end/smartphones and the iPhone.

[stupidmonkey @ Feb 10th 2008 7:57PM]

@ Jeff: You're confusing the term Symbian with something else in your mind.

UIQ = Symbian-based "high-end" smartphone OS
S60 = Symbian-based "high-end" smartphone OS
S40 = Non-Symbian "low-end" Nokia proprietary UI

And Japan uses Symbian-based OS's for their "high-end" phones. WinMo just recently entered the market but the stuff you hear about on the news are all Symbian.

The biggest difference between UIQ and S60 would be the number of apps on the internet available and the versatility. It jus isn't there for the UIQ.

Same goes for WinMo. Can't even compare with the millions of applications (free and commercial) that is available for the S60 OS. With a global user base and the number of developers working on it, hard to talk crap about it.

WindowsMobile is a wasteful form of Windows CE but I do applaud MS for trying to trying to make their smartphone UI similar to their desktop OS.

[Riley @ Feb 10th 2008 2:52PM]

But...I like Symbian...

[ericdano @ Feb 10th 2008 3:37PM]

That is sad. Microsoft Windows Mobile on some great phones. What is wrong with these companies?

[michael @ Feb 10th 2008 7:46PM]

Nothing's wrong with them. WinMo isn't really bad if you actually try it on a decent phone, like possibly this SE.

If you don't like its default, it's as simple to find some add-ons or customizations to make it better for you. That's the beauty of WinMo - the customizability.

[stupidmonkey @ Feb 10th 2008 8:05PM]

@ Michael: You do know that WinMo isn't the only mobile OS out in the market that has customizing features and add-ons?

To be honest, WinMo6 isn't bad at all if you haven't used S60 or given it a try. Sticking with something similar to what people are used to (Win XP) is what MS used to get people to use WinMo in the first place.

[aaronbareford @ Feb 10th 2008 3:40PM]

I want it, but not windows mobile - AGHHHH microsoft damn you!

Could you install android or something? Man i can't stand windows mobile ...

[Andrew @ Feb 10th 2008 4:38PM]

At least you can be sure this is only for a niche or limited amount of models. SonyEricsson won't abandon UIQ for any price. But possibly the American market is so WIndows addicted that they needed something for that location. UIQ is well liked in Europe at least.

[Sauerkraut @ Feb 10th 2008 4:01PM]

haha nice sony + microsoft playing nice

[Andrew @ Feb 10th 2008 4:36PM]

Why do people forget that this is really Ericsson? That Sony is just the premium brand, but not the development or technology. Sony couldn't compete worldwide and joined Ericsson to save face.

And Windows Mobile will only be a niche for SonyEricsson, they will never abandon UIQ on the majority of their phone. It might just be for the American markets anyway - because in Europe we hate WinMo.

[Anthony @ Feb 10th 2008 11:11PM]

Andrew, some people in the US hate WinMo too :)

[tweak @ Feb 10th 2008 4:15PM]

cool logo

[Y3k-Bug @ Feb 10th 2008 4:22PM]

I think this will end up being a really great idea AFTER Microsoft releases Windows Mobile 7, the version they started working on when the iPhone scared the shit out of the WM developers. The question is, will Sony Ericsson allow the phones coming out of this deal to support the next major revision?

[ChrisG @ Feb 10th 2008 5:03PM]

Motorola can learn a lot from Sony on this one. I mean I love Moto and Sony phones but the user interface is terrible and cheap, going with Windows Mobile is worth it for both the consumers and the company.

[Reid @ Feb 10th 2008 5:05PM]

Wow, how far Ericsson has fallen..

Some day a book will be written about this. How to destroy a premium brand in a few short years. Step 1: Team up with Sony. Step 2: Team up with Microsoft. Step 3: Welcome to mediocrity!

[Tim @ Feb 10th 2008 5:27PM]

Now all they have to do is accept the fact the SD cards are the future... :P

[Anthony @ Feb 10th 2008 11:12PM]

I have a k850 and it take sony m2 and sd. I don't see why SE wouldn't continue to do this on all models.

[Tim @ Feb 10th 2008 11:55PM]

I didn't know there was actually a Sony product that supported SD cards...

I agree that they should make this standard on all their stuff though...

[TeeJ @ Feb 11th 2008 4:41AM]

so... my future sony ericssons will be able to run doom? :)

[LuisNeves @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:21AM]

I dont use MS in my life and never will, if they ever enter on the Nokia phones market so bye-bye to Nokia phones to me. Still waiting on Linux phones!