Is Nokia set to rebrand as Microsoft Mobile?
25 April marks the end of the era for the Finnish phone company – and the possible birth of a terribly uncreative brand name
Nokia could be set to rebrand as Microsoft Mobile, following its acquisition by Microsoft.
A memo leaked by website Nokia Power User reveals that “upon the close of the transaction between Microsoft and Nokia, the name of Nokia Corporation/Nokia Oyj will change to Microsoft Mobile Oy.”
Nokia expects to close the sale of its handset business to Microsoft by 25 April, after regulatory delays hindered the deal. As part of the deal, Microsoft has bought rights to the Nokia brand for 10 years, which allows the Richmond-based company to use the brand for its entire mobile phone range.
Microsoft will also oversee the Nokia website and the Finnish company’s social media presence for up to a year.
Although sales for both Microsoft’s Windows Phone and Nokia’s Lumia smartphones pale in comparison to those of iOS and Android phones, Microsoft is aggressively pushing Windows Phone. The recent launch of Windows Phone 8.1 adds an array of new features including the Cortana digital assistant, while Microsoft is also rolling out universal Windows apps that work across PCs, phones and tablets.
What Microsoft’s plans for its Nokia acquisition will mean for the Nokia X phone – which runs a modified version of Android – is open to question.
One thing is clear, though: Microsoft has big plans for Windows Phone and its Nokia acquisition.
[Source: Nokia Power User via PC World]
READ MORE: Windows Phone 8.1 – everything you need to know
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