UIQ 4.0 running on a prototype unit above

In a shocking statement released today, Sony Ericsson has announced that all SE P1i users will be offered a free upgrade to the next generation, UIQ 4.0, when the operating system will be released.

The announcement comes after many users of the P1i (including some from this blog as well as major forums) have complained that the P1 is essentially "a P990i with a new shell and an extra 64MB of RAM".

UIQ 4.0 is widely expected to be a major rival against Apple's iPhone after the iPhone's debut to the smart phone market last summer. It's touted to be far more stable than the current generation of UIQ phones, and includes a host of features to mirror the user's desktop experience. Screenshots were released at the press conference as well.

The Sony Ericsson spokesman declined to comment on the additional features that will be coming up in the new platform, but laid down an expected 2008 Q3 release of the new platform for the P1i. Additionally, the spokesperson also added that WiMax upgrades will be offered to users who will still be under the 1-year warranty when the new platform is released.

The new OS and WiMax upgrade will only be available via the service centers.

With this in store, I honestly cannot wait for 2008 Q3 when all these cool stuff finally descends on my P1i.




(I hope I didn't dash anyone's hopes. Have a happy April Fools everyone!)