UIQ Technology goes for Opera

Ronneby, Sweden - 4 Oct, 2004 -- Opera Software and UIQ Technology, a fully owned subsidiary of Symbian Ltd., today announced that they have selected Opera to be the default browser in UIQ 3.0.

The user interface is the part of an operating system that the end user sees on the screen and interacts with. UIQ is a user interface platform for Symbian OS. Until now, UIQ handsets have been positioned for the high-end market, necessitating pen-based, touch-screen devices such as Sony Ericsson's P800, P900 and P910 smartphones, BenQ's P30, Arima´s U300 and Motorola's A920, A925 and A1000 phones - handsets that all include Opera either in the firmware or as an added-value on the memory card. With the new UIQ 3.0, which includes Opera, UIQ Technology will offer users full interaction with one-handed operation for the first time, opening up a wider market for UIQ based devices.

"Opera has proven to be an excellent browser", says Johan Sandberg, CEO, UIQ Technology. "Opera has the qualities we are looking for and will be a valuable part of UIQ 3.0. We are delighted to cooperate with Opera in order to continue developing successful and innovative mobile phones to the market", he adds. "Opera has also proven to be a trusted vendor, which is important when selecting a partner."

Having revolutionized the telecom industry with its introduction of Small-Screen Rendering (SSR) technology in 2002, Opera has become one of the most popular third-party application on Symbian OS. UIQ 3.0 will include Opera's full Web browser that provides access to all Internet pages users are accustomed to access from their desktop computers, together with support for WAP-technology.

"Opera is the industry leader in full Web browsing for handsets, thrilling millions of users around the world with a full Internet experience on small screens", says Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software ASA. "We are delighted to now be able to work even closer with UIQ Technology. By integrating our technologies even further we look forward to amaze ever more users with an unparalleled Internet experience."

About Opera Software ASA
Opera Software ASA is an industry leader in the development of Web browser Technology, targeting the desktop, smartphone, PDA, Home Media and Vertical markets. Partners include companies such as IBM, Nokia, Sony, Motorola, Adobe, Macromedia, Symbian, Canal+ Technologies, Sony Ericsson, Kyocera, Sharp, Motorola Metroworks, MontaVista Software, BenQ, Sendo and AMD. The Opera browser has received international recognition from users, industry experts and media for being faster, smaller and more standards-compliant than other browsers.

Opera's browser technology is cross-platform and modular, and currently available on the following platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Symbian OS, BREW, QNX, iTRON, FreeBSD, Solaris and Mediahighway.

Opera Software ASA is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with development centers in Linkoping and Gothenburg, Sweden. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com

About UIQ Technology

UIQ Technology develops and licenses an open software platform to the world's leading mobile phone manufacturers and supports licensees in the drive towards developing a mass market for open mobile phones. UIQ based phones are powerful and give access to enterprise applications, email, multimedia clips and web pages. UIQ is, for example, used in mobile phones from Sony Ericsson, Motorola, BenQ and Arima. UIQ Technology, established in 1999 in Sweden, is a fully owned subsidiary of Symbian Ltd. For more information, please visit www.uiq.com.