Nokia and Microsoft Global Alliance announced
Very interesting events unfolding in the Microsoft landscape these days with the recent announcement of the Nokia and Microsoft Global Alliance. A bold move for both parties, but perhaps the first of many such agreements as the mobile landscape continues to be draw lines in the sand and partners for each platform so the strongest will survive. Of all the other mobile platforms, especially in North America, Nokia probably gives Microsoft the least heartache and your enemy’s enemy is your friend as they say. :-)
Details as posted on the Microsoft PressPass website and the LiveMeeting slides and teleconference:
“This announcement builds on the existing work Nokia is doing by optimizing access to e-mail and other personal information with Exchange ActiveSync. Next year, Nokia intends to start shipping Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile on its smartphones, followed by other Office applications and related software and services in the future. These will include:
• The ability to view, edit, create and share Office documents on more devices in more places with mobile-optimized versions of Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft OneNote
• Enterprise instant messaging and presence, and optimized conferencing and collaboration experience with Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile
• Mobile access to intranet and extranet portals built on Microsoft SharePoint Server
• Enterprise device management with Microsoft System Center”
So looking at/hearing the details and making some personal comments:
- Renewal of the the Nokia license of Exchange ActiveSync in their products (perhaps in conjunction with Exchange 2010 on the horizon, or just a timing coincidence?).
- Office Communicator Mobile client in 2010 (the only one mentioned with a specific timeframe and perhaps the easiest to port?).
- Office Mobile on Nokia devices, starting with the E-series and then others. (Office Mobile 2010 was stated to be released after the release of Windows Mobile 6.5)
- With a new version of SCCM coming up soon and with the merger of SCMDM, perhaps Nokia/Symbian support will be embedded at RTM or shortly thereafter?
I can’t help to think what the Microsoft Windows Mobile teams think of this new alliance and how it will perhaps dilute their value prop they current have with integration with the other Microsoft product teams. Or I suppose it could make them stronger for the future Windows Mobile 7 release as they need to stand up to the mobile platform competition on their own merits..
Also as the new S60 platform replacement is released by the recently revamped Symbian Foundation, Symbian^2 and it’s follow-ups, Symbian^3 and Symbian^4. I wonder how this could perhaps tie in with Nokia’s new alliance with Microsoft and create the timing for Office Mobile on other devices after the E-series support..
Time will tell if this will benefit the two new alliance partners, but I think most Enterprise customers would only be delighted to see more market co-operation in these days of the all out mobile-platform wars and all the confusion it brings to continue to keep ROI and TCO numbers down..
|\\arco..