Editing Symbian Software (section)

==Overview==
{{main|Symbian OS}}
Symbian Ltd. was the brainchild of [[Psion (company)|Psion's]] next generation mobile [[operating system]] project following the [[32-bit computing|32-bit]] version of [[EPOC (operating system)|EPOC]]. Psion approached the other four companies and decided to work together on a full software suite including [[Kernel (operating system)|kernel]], [[device driver]]s, and [[user interface]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/features/item/The_story_behind_Sony_Ericson_and_UIQ_Technology.php |title=The story behind Sony Ericsson and UIQ Technology|date=7 November 2006 }}</ref> Much of Symbian's initial intellectual property came from the software arm of Psion.

Symbian Ltd developed and licensed Symbian OS, an operating system for advanced [[mobile phone]]s and [[personal digital assistant]]s (PDAs).

Symbian Ltd wanted the system to have different [[user interface]] layers, unlike Microsoft's offerings. Psion originally created several interfaces or "reference designs", which would later end up as Pearl (smartphone), Quartz ([[Palm (PDA)|Palm-like PDA]]), and Crystal ([[clamshell design]] PDA). One early design called Emerald also ended up in the market on the [[Ericsson R380]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

[[Nokia]] created the [[S60 (software platform)|Series 60]] (from Pearl), [[Series 80 (software platform)|Series 80]] and [[Series 90 (software platform)|Series 90]] platforms (both from Crystal), whilst [[UIQ Technology]], which was a subsidiary of Symbian Ltd. at the time, created [[UIQ]] (from Quartz). Another interface was [[MOAP]](S) from [[NTT Docomo]]. Despite being partners at Symbian Ltd, the different backers of each interface were effectively competing with each other's software. This became a prominent point in February 2004 when UIQ, which focuses on [[pen computing|pen]] devices, announced its foray in traditional keyboard devices, competing head-on with Nokia's Series 60 offering whilst Nokia was in the process of acquiring Psion's remaining stake in Symbian Ltd. to take overall control of the company.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/02/24/ui_wars_tore_symbian_apart/ |title=UI wars 'tore Symbian apart' – Nokia|website=[[The Register]] }}</ref>