In an interview with Pocket-lint during CES, Stephen Elop said the word "Nokia" will start to show up on maps that you get from Microsoft, including those on BlackBerry devices, which started using Bing last year. It isn't entirely crazy — Microsoft has a close relationship with Nokia's own Navteq, which supplies data for Bing's 3D maps and StreetSide map views. However, Elop also said that "more and more work will be done by Nokia" across all the Microsoft properties in the time ahead. We don't know exactly what he means by that, but it looks like the relationship between Microsoft and Nokia could go beyond just hardware for Windows Phone.
Bing maps will bear the Nokia name
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The North American rise of Nokia is among us, and I for one welcome it.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 7:16 PM EST reply Recommend (21) Flag actions
Unless they sacrifice innovation to stay in Microsoft’s good graces. Luckily, I don’t see them doing that at all.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 8:46 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I personally thought Rolling Thunder at CES was a bit of a disappointment. They only really announced 1 high end phone and its stuck on At&t. Boy, I hope they still having something else planned for the near future.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:11 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? (or a billion?)
nicely done.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 7:19 PM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
Microsoft gets no ‘milk for free’. They pay Nokia licensing fees to use Nokia’s Navteq map data.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 8:01 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
It’s as if people just went to the original articles when they were being posted and only read the headlines.
They also paid a huge sum of money to Nokia for their partnership. It’s not as if Elop got away with siding Nokia with MS without money going to the shareholders/execs.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 8:34 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
True! This is Elop’s exact quote:
"You’ll starting seeing the word ‘Nokia’ on a map that you get from Microsoft properties over a period of time,"
"Even if you are on a BlackBerry device, who recently said they were going to start using Bing Maps."
"We did that for important reasons as we had the better mapping assets so it made sense. But it also creates some balance in the relationship with Microsoft,"
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 8:55 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Exactly. Bing needed better mapping, and they bought that from Nokia. Since Nokia maps is the better product, the Nokia branding makes sense. This is a concession MS needs to make unless they pay off Nokia, I duuno, another billion or two.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 9:03 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
did you ignore the parenthetical?
and the amount microsoft is paying is surely much less than nokia’s current valuation to essentially get full run of the company.
Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 10:21 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Damn. Well played, Elop. Well played, indeed.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 7:25 PM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
Wasn’t this kinda’ foreshadowed back when the Microkia relationship was officially established? I knew MS were going to be served Navteq data,, but this is kinda’ a new twist to that premise.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 7:26 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Microkia? Is that what they’re calling it these days? Not a bad name, actually. I definitely prefer the name over Googorola…
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 7:27 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Wait… you didn’t know this? Oh well, now you do know, so remember it for future reference and don’t forget to use it a lot! :D
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 7:35 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Microsoft were already PAYING to use Nokia’s Navteq maps!
Nothing new here except Nokia exerting their brand more effectively. Most people don’t know the standalone GPS device in their car already uses Nokia’s Navteq map data.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 7:59 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I hope this brings better voice-navigation to Bing Map.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 7:33 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Interesting. It wouldn’t surprise me if someday Nokia becomes primarily a services company.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 7:42 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
sort of like an IBM of the mobile world? provide a lot of backend for a lot of companies?
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 7:47 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I think that it’s more likely to become Microsoft’s go-to mobile partner, a subsidiary in all but name. Or, Microsoft might even buy a portion of Nokia.
I’d think that the amount of money Nokia could get from Microsoft in that role would outweigh the other monies they could earn from shopping around. Remember, everyone else in the mobile space is either building their own services (iCloud, BES) or using Google’s.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 8:45 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
With this kind of “being in bed together” is anyone really wondering why non-Nokia OEMs don’t care to put much effort into their windows phones?
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 8:11 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Oh you mean how the other OEMs were so lukewarm about making phones for MS they never thought they’ll have a competitor that can offer MS better/more? Its just business – OEMs want to hawk Androids, this does not preclude MS from finding a strategic partner. (and paying for one, at that)
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 9:08 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I have the distinct feeling that microsoft “bought” without paying full price….:-D
Maybe from Elops perspective, its as if Microsoft did not buy nokia although they paid the full price :-D
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 8:13 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Nokia: we think its still 1999
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 8:26 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I’m surprised Microsoft hasn’t just bought Nokia at this point. Maybe they will if Google’s acquisition of Motorola ends well (something has to outdo the failure of the Palm purchase by HP, right?)
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 8:57 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
what he mentions in the interview causes me to think of many possibilities—maybe…. nokia works as a design partner which microsoft collaborates with, creating an extension for microsoft to express relevant research. having nokia and microsoft distinctly different but collaborating sounds like it could produce wonderful results. also, microsoft wouldnt upset its other partners, and nokia would push those partners to do more R&D.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | 9:03 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
If the also put their far superior POI in there, great news.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 6:09 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Funny, they can run Nokia ads on Blackberries. That’s pretty funny.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:44 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Until I read this, I was thinking “Oh well, at least Nokia still has their own maps that are pretty good in some cases…”
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 4:14 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
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