Nokia has admitted that it will no longer release Symbian handsets in the US once it starts selling Windows Phone devices.
In an interview with All Things D, Nokia’s North American chief Chris Weber says that the company is putting all hope of a smartphone revival on the partnership with Microsoft’s improving operating system.
“When we launch Windows Phones we will essentially be out of the Symbian business, the S40 business, etc.,” he said. “It will be Windows Phone and the accessories around that.”
Last throw
Rather ominously, Weber hinted that the Windows Phone tie-in, and the heavy marketing investment Nokia is planning around the launch, was somewhat of a last throw of the dice.
“The reality is if we are not successful with Windows Phone, it doesn’t matter what we do.”
The revelation that Nokia US plans to ditch Symbian, which has often dragged down some traditionally strong hardware, is in many ways still a surprise.
The company recently announced the impressive-looking N500 handset and back in May, the Finns pledged to stick with Symbian until 2016. That vow is unlikely to change on this side of the pond.
Weber also said that the MeeGo-boasting N9 phone will not make it to the US, while there’s also be no more low-cost smartphone releases on that side of the Atlantic.
Link: AllThingsD
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