Nokia-Microsoft to offer Windows-based phones in China
21 Oct 2011
Microsoft Corp plans to offer the latest Windows-based phones in partnership with Nokia in China next year.
US-based Microsoft has not been able to make much of China's smartphone market, which has largely shaped around smartphones powered by Google Inc's Android operating software.
Andy Lees, president of Microsoft's phone-software division said in an interview that Microsoft's relationship with Finland-based Nokia, the world's largest cellphone maker, would act as a "huge accelerant" for Microsoft in China.
He said Microsoft was going into China in a big way.
Lees was speaking at the Asia D conference hosted by All Things Digital, an online publishing partner of The Wall Street Journal. He said the Nokia launch would help Windows 7, the latest version of Microsoft's mobile software, which got off to a slow start following its introduction a year ago. All Things Digital is an online publishing partner of The Wall Street Journal.
Nokia, , the world's largest mobile phone maker by volume, and the market leader in China, said in May its smartphone portfolio would be integrated around Microsoft's Windows Phone operating software. The first in the series of smartphones under the new relationship, is set to release next week.