Nokia's Elop commits to Windows Phone, promises new smartphones soon

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said the troubled Finnish OEM remains committed to the Windows Phone platform for smartphones and indicated that its new Windows Phone  8 device will be launched soon.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop

Elop

Elop's comments, reported by Reuters, sparked the rumour that the new Nokia Windows 8 phone will be launched on Sept. 5 to coincide with the next Nokia World conference in Helsinki. This would also be ahead of the rumoured Apple event on Sept. 12, when the company is widely expected to announce the next version of the iPhone.

The Reuters report added that Elop did not deny a September launch but would only say Windows 8 smartphones would be released "relatively near term."

Nokia is still trailing in the smartphone market and is struggling to make headway with its Windows Phone strategy: the company reported losses of €1.53 billion in second quarter and sold four million Nokia Lumia smartphones compared to Apple's 26 million iPhone sales. However, this was above original estimates of 3.8 million Lumia smartphone sales in second quarter and double what Nokia sold in the first quarter.

Elop is still sticking to his "third ecosystem" message, however: "In today's war ... (between) Android, Apple and Windows, we are very clear, we are fighting that with the Windows phone," he said, according to Reuters.

For more:
- see this Reuters report
- see this separate Reuters report

Related Articles:
Nokia shares surge, helped by Lenovo bid rumours
Report: Nokia to unveil new Lumia Windows Phones next month
Report: Nokia seeks revenue-sharing deals with carriers for Lumia smartphones
Fitch hits Nokia with further downgrade, questions product portfolio
Nokia's 4M Lumia sales offer bright spot in Q2
Are Nokia shares really undervalued?