Nokia and Microsoft form partnership

[xxMATTGxx]

Nokia has announced plans to form a "broad strategic partnership" with Microsoft.

The deal would see Nokia use the Windows phone operating system for its smartphones, the company said.

Microsoft's Bing will power Nokia's search services, while Nokia Maps would be a core part of Microsoft's mapping services.

Earlier this week Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop sent a memo to staff warning that the company was in crisis.

The new strategy means Nokia's existing smartphone operating systems will be gradually sidelined.

Symbian, which runs on most of the company's current devices will become a "franchise platform", although the company expects to sell approximately 150 million more Symbian devices in future.

The announcement is widely seen as a response to the growing pressure from other smartphone platforms, including Google's Android and Apple's iPhone.

Nokia's share of the smartphone market fell from 38% to 28% in 2010, according to research firm IDC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12427680?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Nokia and Microsoft enter strategic alliance on Windows Phone, Bing, Xbox Live and Office

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/11/nokia-and-microsoft-enter-strategic-alliance-on-windows-phone-b/

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I knew something like this would happen from when the CEO of Nokia said their platform is a burning hole or something on the line of that. It was only time they were going to choose another platform to use and it was either WP7 or Android, WP7 felt more likely due to the talks they were having before hand. Good news really! :P

[Flisker]

This is very cool for both companies. I wonder how things will pan out!

[Recursion]

Next phone, screw Android, WP7+Nokia, the best mobile manufacturer paired with a very promising bit of software, noiceeee.

[Flisker]

Next phone, screw Android, WP7+Nokia, the best mobile manufacturer paired with a very promising bit of software, noiceeee.

This is what I was thinking but Nokia ruined my love for their phones with Symbian etc :(

I'll probably just go for a HTC+WP7 :)

[Oleh]

i will definatley be getting one of these babies when my contract runs out next october. Always gone for nokia.

[HotelUser]

Both companies definitely needed to do something, it's a good idea.

[GommeInc]

This looks kinda interesting. Microsoft need a popular manufacturer to get involved. Android seems to always be linked with HTC, at least :P Windows Phone 7 does seem like it could be promising. When Windows 8 is out we may see a few changes in the tablet market too.

[HotelUser]

More than 1,000 Nokia Corp. workers based in Finland have reportedly left their posts, Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported late Friday.

The walkouts are believed to have been staged over concerns for the safety of their jobs, following the phone maker’s announced partnership with Microsoft Corp. on Thursday. Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 operating system is expected to replace Nokia’s own Symbian and MeeGo software in all future Nokia-made smartphones as a result of the deal.

More than 3,000 people work for Nokia in the Finnish city of Tampere alone, approximately 1,500 of which being presently assigned to work on either Symbian or MeeGo.



Read more: http://business.financialpost.com/2011/02/11/nokia-employees-stage-mass-walkout-to-protest-microsoft-agreement-report/#ixzz1DhbfrXbx

Apparently Nokia doesn't want to give up their crappy mobile software for slightly less crappy mobile software?!

[xxMATTGxx]

Apparently Nokia doesn't want to give up their crappy mobile software for slightly less crappy mobile software?!

They are just upset there will be job cuts and so on. But, Nokia did have to do something and they would have to adapt another OS for them to get back into the game.

[HotelUser]

They are just upset there will be job cuts and so on. But, Nokia did have to do something and they would have to adapt another OS for them to get back into the game.

I agree that it's absolutely essential to the survival of both these companies' mobile divisions although I just thought it was quite funny that so many Nokia employees are resigning out of protest :P