Nokia, Microsoft to deliver Windows Live to millions of mobile customers

Nokia and Microsoft have joined forces to provide customers with a new suite of Windows Live services specifically designed for Nokia devices. Customers in eleven countries with compatible S60 devices can download the new suite enabling access to Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Contacts and Windows Live Spaces. Starting next year, customers who purchase compatible Nokia Series 40 handsets will also have access to these popular Windows Live services.

Nokia and Microsoft are empowering the “mobile lifestyle,” by providing mobile customers with easy access to their world of online relationships, information and interests. By enabling access to Windows Live services on both the S60 and Series 40 platforms using standard web services protocols our mutual customers will have the power to seamlessly move between contacts, mail, messenger, phone calls, text messaging, camera, gallery and browsing all in an integrated way.

Nokia customers who own the N73, N76, N80 Internet Edition, N93i, and the N95 multimedia computers can get the Windows Live services via the Download! application in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, UK, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Initially the service will be available as a free trial and then customers in select markets wishing to continue using the service may be asked to pay a monthly fee.

This alliance announcement builds on the existing cooperation between Nokia and Microsoft, which integrated Live Search for Mobile into the Nokia Mobile Search application. 

MSN attracts more than 465 mln unique users worldwide per month. With localized versions available in 42 markets and 21 languages, MSN is a world leader in delivering compelling programmed content experiences to consumers and online advertising opportunities to businesses worldwide. MSN and Windows Live will be offered alongside each other as complementary services. Some Windows Live services entered an early beta phase on Nov. 1, 2005. These and future beta updates can be found at http://ideas.live.com.