Microsoft drops Nokia name from Lumia smartphones

WASHINGTON: US software giant Microsoft today said it will now start selling Lumia smartphones as 'Microsoft Lumia' device instead of calling them Nokia Lumia.

"Our global and local websites are going through a transition as we speak and in the coming days our social channels will get a new name too - they will be called Microsoft Lumia," Microsoft's Senior Vice President of Marketing for Phones Tuula Rytila said on a blog.

"We have now started the transition from Nokia Lumia to Microsoft Lumia," the company said.

The move comes within 6 month of Microsoft acquiring Finnish telecom company Nokia's mobile device business for about $7.5 billion. The deal was completed on April 25, 2014.

Rytila did not share timeline for launching Lumia device without Nokia brand name but said "we are looking forward to unveiling a Microsoft Lumia device soon. This is of course a natural progression as all devices that once came from Nokia now come from Microsoft."

Microsoft, however, will retain Nokia brand name for entry level phones.

"Microsoft will continue to sell Nokia-branded, entry-level category of phones, such as the Nokia 130. We have licensed the Nokia brand for such devices," Rytila said.

Microsoft has a 10-year license to use the Nokia brand on current and subsequently developed mobile phones from the date it acquired Finnish mobile devices company.

-economictimes