Nokia and Microsoft Announce Plans for a Broad Strategic Partnership

[pauldmps]

Here is the official press release with what we expected:

Source: Nokia and Microsoft Announce Plans for a Broad Strategic Partnership to Build a New Global Mobile Ecosystem: Companies plan to combine assets and develop innovative mobile products on an unprecedented scale.

LONDON – Feb. 11, 2011 – Nokia and Microsoft today announced plans to form a broad strategic partnership that would use their complementary strengths and expertise to create a new global mobile ecosystem.

Nokia and Microsoft intend to jointly create market-leading mobile products and services designed to offer consumers, operators and developers unrivalled choice and opportunity. As each company would focus on its core competencies, the partnership would create the opportunity for rapid time to market execution. Additionally, Nokia and Microsoft plan to work together to integrate key assets and create completely new service offerings, while extending established products and services to new markets.

Under the proposed partnership:

•
Nokia would adopt Windows Phone as its principal smartphone strategy, innovating on top of the platform in areas such as imaging, where Nokia is a market leader.
•
Nokia would help drive the future of Windows Phone. Nokia would contribute its expertise on hardware design, language support, and help bring Windows Phone to a larger range of price points, market segments and geographies.
•
Nokia and Microsoft would closely collaborate on joint marketing initiatives and a shared development roadmap to align on the future evolution of mobile products.
•
Bing would power Nokia’s search services across Nokia devices and services, giving customers access to Bing’s next generation search capabilities. Microsoft adCenter would provide search advertising services on Nokia’s line of devices and services.
•
Nokia Maps would be a core part of Microsoft’s mapping services. For example, Maps would be integrated with Microsoft’s Bing search engine and adCenter advertising platform to form a unique local search and advertising experience
•
Nokia’s extensive operator billing agreements would make it easier for consumers to purchase Nokia Windows Phone services in countries where credit-card use is low.
•
Microsoft development tools would be used to create applications to run on Nokia Windows Phones, allowing developers to easily leverage the ecosystem’s global reach.
•
Nokia’s content and application store would be integrated with Microsoft Marketplace for a more compelling consumer experience.
“Today, developers, operators and consumers want compelling mobile products, which include not only the device, but the software, services, applications and customer support that make a great experience,” Stephen Elop, Nokia President and CEO, said at a joint news conference in London. “Nokia and Microsoft will combine our strengths to deliver an ecosystem with unrivalled global reach and scale. It’s now a three-horse race.”

“I am excited about this partnership with Nokia,” said Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. “Ecosystems thrive when fueled by speed, innovation and scale.The partnership announced today provides incredible scale, vast expertise in hardware and software innovation and a proven ability to execute.”

[dalethomas1]

I think that it is a smart step for both company and also for customer.Both of them are a reputed organization & can make any history.

[gagan007]

@pauldmps: u are very quick my friend
were you waiting for this piece of news whole day?

on topic: this is really a good step forward for Nokia. How much will it work, only the time will tell. But it is nowhere mentioned, what are Nokia's plan in OS point of view.


EDIT: oops, missed this point

Microsoft development tools would be used to create applications to run on Nokia Windows Phones, allowing developers to easily leverage the ecosystem’s global reach.

But it still doesn't say that Nokia phones will discontinue Meego/Symbian. Symbian will run all low end mobile phones...but what about smartphones? Will they run Windows OS too?

[furious_gamer]

Originally Posted by gagan007

...but what about smartphones? Will they run Windows OS too?

yes.....

BTW Windows phones sucks IMO. Even bada OS is better than Windows OS.

I am not against MS, but really, MS sucks @ phones. I used HTC P3400 and i feel it terribly bad. Changed the thought of buying it, after using it for a couple of week.

[k4ce]

^ WP7 is better ... But I still dont understand how Nokia will distinguish themselves from the other WP7 phone manufacturers ... no customization on WP7

[gagan007]

but dude P3400 is very old story, looking at the reviews (mixed) about new Win7, I am positive about it. It needs polishing no doubt;but just like iOS and Android needed when they were released.

So you wanted Nokia to continue its Meego development, is it? Even I would love to see that.It is hard to believe that they will drop it completely, but could happen

[pauldmps]

@ gagan007
I was expecting the news but I was quick because my Facebook page was open & Windows Phone news feed published the press report.

Here is the fate of Symbian & Meego:
Nokia: Symbian and MeeGo not dead yet, still shipping this year (updated) -- Engadget

Here's what Nokia has in store for MeeGo:
"Under the new strategy, MeeGo becomes an open-source, mobile operating system project. MeeGo will place increased emphasis on longer-term market exploration of next-generation devices, platforms and user experiences. Nokia still plans to ship a MeeGo-related product later this year."

Likewise, Symbian isn't going away either:
"With Nokia's planned move to Windows Phone as its primary smartphone platform, Symbian becomes a franchise platform, leveraging previous investments to harvest additional value. This strategy recognizes the opportunity to retain and transition the installed base of 200 million Symbian owners. Nokia expects to sell approximately 150 million more Symbian devices in the years to come"

@furious_gamer
Windows Phone 7 is entirely different OS from Windows Mobile (6.1-6.5). It has been designed from scratch & has no resemblance to the older OS.


The UI of WP7 is the best among the OSes (much better than Android & iOS). However it is currently plagued by limitations which include:

1. No Real Multitasking
2. No USB Tethering
3. No Cut, copy & paste (An update is t be released to address this issue)
4. No mounting as USB drive
5. Low number of apps, etc.

But Nokia will make sure that these things are taken care of.

Read WP7 Reviews here:
Windows Phone 7 Review: Part I > Software > Techtree.com
Windows Phone 7 Review: Part 2 > Software > Techtree.com

@k4ce

Here's the latest update on customization:
Nokia will be able to customize 'everything' in Windows Phone 7, but likely won't -- Engadget

Stephen Elop, in his financial and strategy briefing continuing Nokia's marathon Capital Markets Day, just posed an interesting rhetorical question: will Nokia be able to "customize everything" on Windows Phone 7 in order to differentiate itself? "Yes!" was Elop's ebullient proclamation, though he quickly pulled it back to say that Nokia likely won't make extensive use of this freedom to tailor Microsoft's OS. Instead, the company will be cautious and seek to maintain compatibility rather than pushing the boat out too far in tweaking the underlying software. That's a major shift for Microsoft, who forbade HTC from skinning Windows Phone 7 with Sense, something the Taiwanese company would surely have loved to do, and limited it to the introduction of a self-contained Hub. Now Nokia's saying it -- perhaps exclusively -- has been given the liberty to play around inside WP7 to its heart's content. We'll see how important that turns out to be whenever Nokia delivers its first device bearing its new smartphone OS. An insider tip tells us the current plan is to introduce such a handset by the end of 2011, potentially on current hardware. Who's ready for Xbox Live on the N8?

[noob]

@furious_gamer
Windows Phone 7 is entirely different OS from Windows Mobile (6.1-6.5). It has been designed from scratch & has no resemblance to the older OS

WinPhone7 is old wine in new bottle. it uses same Windows CE 5.2 kernel which was used in WinMo 6.5.x

[pauldmps]

^^ That's not the point. The point is usability where WP7 stands much ahead of WM 6.5.

[manishjha18]

@pauldmps --please stop giving links from techtree. the whole website sucks..all i see see hardware reviews of 1 page and yes they always copy and paste...

[pauldmps]

^^ Unfortunately, they were the only site to do a comprehensive review of WP7.

Also the website works fine for me.

[Liverpool_fan]

Joke of a decision. Tons of developers and people contributed to Qt and MeeGo and Nokia gives them this. No one will trust Nokia now. Nokia's shares have taken a huge hit too. Stephen Elop is a clown.
Also WP7 has nothing over iOS or Android. Android has the momentum, while iOS has the usability, no way it can compete with either, I can guarantee that.

[pauldmps]

Image Caption: Now can Steve Balmer crash the iPhone ?


I had already said in a previous thread that whatever happens, Nokia will be a laughing stock right Now.

See this: MICROSOFT-NOKIA: The Biggest Winners And Losers
& this:
Here's Why Nokia Is Still Doomed

[k4ce]

@pauldpms : thanks for the link ... read that ... did you also read that that the first Nokiasoft (pardon me for calling it that ) would come by year end with existing hardware (read n8) ...

So this year, apart from feature fones, what would nokia sell ... No high end symbians as its gonna die in a few years ... no developer support for symbian ...

Probably, if somehow Nokia is allowed to bypass the minimum spec requirement (which I am sure it will), it can crack out large number of midrange WP7 phones with identical hardware among models (so that fragmentation is reduced), this deal could be a win ...
else I dont see the point for Nokia ...

As for Microsoft, this is a good deal .. as now they have entire access to NAVTEQ maps (which there were using eaarlier as well for Bing Maps) ... and all this nokia talk is going to highlight WP7 ... and publicity of this kind is always good for a platform ... more eyeballs ... and more developer support

[NainO]

With so many limitations in W7, I don't think it's a threat to iphone (iOS). Firstly, they have to do something about those software limitation and secondly, they have to claim "apps for everything" statement. So, iOS is out of reach for couple of years.
And why don't Nokia adopt android, is something wrong between nokia and google?


R.I.P. - Symbian

[pauldmps]

^^ As it was reported earlier that Nokia's CEO Steven Elop did talk with Google's CEO Eric Schmidt but somehow the deal was not done. So no Android for Nokia at this moment.

Another aspect is that if Nokia adopts WP7 in its mid & high range, it is quite possible that the low-end phones move up from S40 to S60 , which will be a boon for people who can't afford such high-end phones. We might expect S60-based Xpress music phones soon.

For iOS, remember that iOS also did not have multitasking when it was released on the iPhone 3G. WP7 is in a very bad state as of now. The current limitations (imagine that you can't even change your ringtone in WP7) makes sure that you cannot call it as a real smartphone as of now. Nokia will surely not tolerate this. Expect frequent feature updates to WP7 as soon Nokia starts working on it.

And now for the big surprise:

Ladies & Gentlemen, hold your breath..................

Source:Exclusive: Nokia's Windows Phone 7 concept revealed! -- Engadget

[desiibond]

So, those 2 billion dollars pumped into Symbian,Meego and QT go down the drain now. It would've been much better had Nokia went with full scale Maemo development instead of licking Ballmer's shoes. In-house OS, matured, full support for Qt, fits their 'one app for all platforms policy'. Moreover, given the open source nature, it would have got heavy backing of developers and modders.

Sad, sad thing.

[desiibond]

So, those 2 billion dollars pumped into Symbian,Meego and QT go down the drain now. It would've been much better had Nokia went with full scale Maemo development instead of licking Ballmer's shoes. In-house OS, matured, full support for Qt, fits their 'one app for all platforms policy'. Moreover, given the open source nature, it would have got heavy backing of developers and modders.

Sad, sad thing.

[pauldmps]

@desiibond

Not to worry. I have a gut-feeling that as soon Meego is ready, Nokia is going to ditch out WP7. But that will take some time.

[desiibond]

Originally Posted by pauldmps

@desiibond

Not to worry. I have a gut-feeling that as soon Meego is ready, Nokia is going to ditch out WP7. But that will take some time.

nah. MeeGo is gone. MeeGo ex-head is out of Nokia, Intel says that they are disappointed. They will release a MeeGo device just to honour the agreement with Intel (if I am right) and it will have the same fate that N900 had.

WP7 - top end smartphones
S^3 and higher - midrange smartphones
S60 and S40 - budget conscious

Given this new development, Nokia is going to lose lot of devleopers who worked so hard on Qt and Ovi apps. And guess where they will be heading to!

[pauldmps]

What about their OVI services. WP7 will download apps from Windows Market & use Zune Software to sync with PC.

What will be the fate of OVI store & OVI suite ? Is Nokia trying to earn profit by selling only hardware ? What about the ecosystem they were talking about ?

I think Nokia better adopt multi-OS strategy with WP7 & MeeGo.

Same goes with Samsung, if ever their Bada platform catches up, they'll abandon Android for sure.

[desiibond]

Originally Posted by pauldmps

What about their OVI services. WP7 will download apps from Windows Market & use Zune Software to sync with PC.

What will be the fate of OVI store & OVI suite ? Is Nokia trying to earn profit by selling only hardware ? What about the ecosystem they were talking about ?

I think Nokia better adopt multi-OS strategy with WP7 & MeeGo.

Same goes with Samsung, if ever their Bada platform catches up, they'll abandon Android for sure.

Ovi will live as long as Nokia sticks to their own OS for low to midrange devices.

[pauldmps]

Here's another scoop from Gizmodo:

Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide

Bits confirms much of what has been inferred or assumed over the last few years regarding Nokia: up until this week, they couldn't have cared less about software or design. This quote, from Nokia's former head of design, says it all:

"The engineers at Nokia brag about the number of megapixels a new phone has," he said in a telephone interview on Thursday. "But they don't understand that if you can't find the button to use the camera on the phone, it doesn't matter how many megapixels it is."

[Sam]

Originally Posted by pauldmps

Same goes with Samsung, if ever their Bada platform catches up, they'll abandon Android for sure.

i doubt. going for a single OS platform isn't the best of ideas. even though Android has taken as a top mobile OS, for corporates, Win7 maybe better (other then BBs). also Bada maybe reserved for the sub-20k smartphones.

Originally Posted by desiibond

WP7 - top end smartphones

top end multimedia mobiles may feature Meego too? can't it be? or maybe MeeGo will be used in any future Nokia tablets, if no to mobiles.

also i think the reason Nokia still uses the ancient S40 cause the H/W requirements are pretty slim. can go with very lowend SOCs. also most (non-techie) peoples seek better camera & specs. they don't have any idea what OS the mobile runs. it just should be usable.

Originally Posted by desiibond

Given this new development, Nokia is going to lose lot of devleopers who worked so hard on Qt and Ovi apps. And guess where they will be heading to!

Nokia is alive till Bada & Android doesn't starts showing up in the below 10k mobiles more frequently & with better specs.

[desiibond]

Originally Posted by Sam.Shab

i doubt. going for a single OS platform isn't the best of ideas. even though Android has taken as a top mobile OS, for corporates, Win7 maybe better (other then BBs). also Bada maybe reserved for the sub-20k smartphones.



top end multimedia mobiles may feature Meego too? can't it be? or maybe MeeGo will be used in any future Nokia tablets, if no to mobiles.

also i think the reason Nokia still uses the ancient S40 cause the H/W requirements are pretty slim. can go with very lowend SOCs. also most (non-techie) peoples seek better camera & specs. they don't have any idea what OS the mobile runs. it just should be usable.



Nokia is alive till Bada & Android doesn't starts showing up in the below 10k mobiles more frequently & with better specs.

sub-10k market is last thing that developers rely on because majority of the app downloads and sales are at a higher end market. With so much happening in iOS, Android, I really doubt if devels will be interested in pleasing the budget Ovi market.

[bilallucky]

Windows phones sucks IMO. Even bada OS is better than Windows OS

[pauldmps]

^^ LOL!
Stop copying other's posts.

[sujoyp]

I think it would be good for both the companies...and they can give useful suggestions to each others...one is software gient and other is still current market leader

Hope nokia can recover again...but Meego OS was fantastic...would love to see it in real

[ssk_the_gr8]

this is very good news for microsoft... and if nokia executes this properly it will be good for them too.... meego is dead.. and symbian^3 will be shifted to mid range phones like 10k... ones....




this is for smartphones..not for regular feature phones







RIP: Symbian -- Engadget

[vickybat]

Originally Posted by desiibond

So, those 2 billion dollars pumped into Symbian,Meego and QT go down the drain now. It would've been much better had Nokia went with full scale Maemo development instead of licking Ballmer's shoes. In-house OS, matured, full support for Qt, fits their 'one app for all platforms policy'. Moreover, given the open source nature, it would have got heavy backing of developers and modders.

Sad, sad thing.

Is wp7 that bad?