This announcement brings Microsoft's most popular consumer internet services to select Nokia phones. Windows Live Messenger (previously MSN Messenger) is the most popular instant messaging network in Europe and Windows Live Hotmail is one of the post popular web based email services in the world.
Screenshots from the Windows Live Messenger
There is more information on the Nokia website about the Windows Live services.
Nokia customers who own the Nokia N73, N76, N80 Internet Edition, N93i, and the N95 multimedia computers can get the Windows Live services via the Download! application in the following countries; Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, UK, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The services are currently available for free, but, in certain markets, a service charge may be made in the future.
The Windows Live services continue Nokia's strategy of enabling popular web and internet related services for its mobile platforms. There is clear value in providing a platform that others can build on, rather than locking consumers into particular services. Nokia's moves in this area are part of its wider, self proclaimed, strategy of turning itself into an Internet company.
While Nokia is building or acquiring some services of its own (Nokia Maps, Nokia Music) it is also committed to providing an enabling platform to third parties. This co-operative, ecosystem driven approach may, to a certain extent, set it apart from some of its competitors.
Other examples of such services include Nokia Online Share (upload media to Flickr, Vox, Typepad and others), Yahoo! Go (access Yahoo services), Gizmo VoIP service, and Nokia XpressPrint (order photo prints from your phone). Many of these services are available through Nokia's Download! client which ships on all SIM-free Nokia S60 phones and on some operator variant phones.
Press Release Extract:
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 Nokia 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."By taking advantage of the extensive and agile distribution network that Nokia has, we have the opportunity to bring the power of Windows Live services to Nokia devices, thus ensuring our customers can take their most important online information with them on the go," said Jari Pasanen, vice-president, Strategy and Technology, Nokia Multimedia"The availability of Windows Live services for Nokia's devices demonstrates our commitment to delivering great mobile experiences and extending people's online lives - taking it from the PC to the device," said Steve Berkowitz, senior vice president of the Online Services Business from Microsoft. "The alliance will enable a much broader group of consumers to experience the benefits Windows Live has to offer, easily connecting them to the information and people that matter most from virtually anywhere."Read the full press release here.