Nokia lives! Microsoft to push it as an 'entry-level' mobile brand
In response to reports on Wednesday that the Nokia brand is fully dead, Microsoft has announced that Nokia will account for the computing-giant's low-end smartphone market.
Nokia will endure with devices such as the budget 180
The news came after Microsoft let slip that it will be changing all Nokia's social media channels to Microsoft Lumia - sparking debate on the Finnish brand's future.
It emerged on Friday that Nokia will instead inhabit the budget-end of Microsoft’s smartphone business, with the newly branded Microsoft Lumia running as the flagship device.
On the rebrand, Tuula Rytilä, senior vice president of marketing for Phones at Microsoft, said in a blog post: “This is a very exciting time for us and for Lumia products. You might have seen that in the last couple of months, we have already made some name changes to our apps to better reflect that these apps now come from Microsoft.
“Microsoft was founded with the vision of putting a computer in every home and on every desk. With Lumia phones, Microsoft delivers the power of everyday mobile technology to everyone.”
On Nokia’s apparent death, Rytilä said: “Microsoft will continue to sell Nokia-branded, entry-level category of phones, such as the Nokia 130. We have licensed the Nokia brand for such devices.”
Microsoft bought Nokia’s mobile devices unit for $7.2bn last September earlier this year.
