Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Microsoft unveiled the first piece of their mobile software collaboration. Last year the two firms announced their alliance in an attempt to counter BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM).
The software, called Communicator Mobile, shows smartphone users whether co-workers are available and allows them to communicate via email, text message, instant message or voice. The app is now available for download in Nokia's Ovi store. The app currently is only available for the Nokia E72 and Nokia E52, but it will be pre-installed on select Nokia smartphones in the future. There are plans to support additional devices, including the recently announced Nokia E5.
The two firms, once fierce mobile rivals, expect to release Nokia handsets later this year that support Microsoft's Office software. "We have hundreds of engineers across both companies working on the alliance, and this is just the tip of the iceberg," Kai Oistamo, the head of Nokia's devices division, told Bloomberg an interview. He declined to talk about the next step for the two companies.
RIM has been making strides of its own recently. On the strength of its BlackBerry smartphones, RIM climbed into the No. 4 slot in terms of global handset market share, according to research firm IDC.
For more:
- see this release
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this Reuters article
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