News Bits From Microsoft-Nokia Press Conference (Updated)

-Nokia and Microsoft started their partnership talks in November

-Nokia will bring Low cost Windows Phone 7 Devices

-Nokia will contribute to the Windows Phone ecosystem as a whole.

-Nokia and Microsoft are already working on their first Nokia WP7 device and their Engineering teams are collaborating on that.

– When asked about Device release date, Ballmer said, "When there’s news, there will be news."

-Nokia also had discussions with Google to have Android.

-Nokia didn’t choose Android because of differentiation challenges & commoditization risk.

-Nokia’s Location and mapping services will improve Bing services.

-Nokia may choose Microsoft’s future work on Tablets as their tablet strategy.

-"Nokia is first and foremost, and always will be, a Finnish company." –Elop

-Nokia to announce layoff’s across the world, especially in Finland.

-There will be significant changes in Nokia’s R&D that will increase productivity.

-MeeGo devices is “an opportunity to learn” on future.

-Someone questioned Stephen Elop, “You’ve effectively sold your company to Microsoft”. Laughs filled the room.

-The future of Symbian40 devices will be discussed later today.

-The joint product roadmap will give consumers a near-exhaustive portfolio.

Will update the  above list when I came across more. BTW, Stephen Elop tweeted in response to the turkey story,

“ Two bicycle makers, from Dayton Ohio, one day decided to fly.”

Update from Nokia Strategy and Financial Briefing:

– Its not an OEM deal between Nokia and Microsoft, Its more advanced.

– Nokia also considered whether Microsoft deal could lead to lock-in, but it made sure that it has flexibility on various issues.

– Nokia will differentiate within the WP7 ecosystem and with other ecosystems as well.

– Nokia,Microsoft partnership is unquestionably supported by carriers around the world.

– Nokia has the unparalleled carrier billing support and stores across the world to support developers monetize their apps.

– Nokia on Android, ”It felt a little bit like giving up and not enough like fighting back”.

– Nokia to bring and develop Nokia Life tools, Money, Proxy browsers for more feature phones.

– Nokia will contribute to Windows Phone ecosystem, for example NAVTEQ’s mapping services powering Bing will be available to Samsung, HTC,etc,.

– Android is like a Black Hole, sucking innovation from other OEM’s.

– How Nokia going to differentiate,

– Its going to be three horse race in the industry.

– The transition period at Nokia

– R&D at Nokia

Atlast Elop confirmed wrote that he wrote that Burning Platform memo.