Microsoft: Nokia Branding No More

Print

Microsoft starts dropping the Nokia branding from Lumia smartphones-- Nokia France is the first country to adopt the "Microsoft Lumia" monicker, as announced on the company's Facebook page.

Nokia LumiaThe Facebook post says Nokia France will change its name to Microsoft Lumia "in the coming days."

Microsoft confirms to The Verge other countries will soon follow the rebranding, which involves the renaming of social media accounts as well as websites and, eventually, products. This should come to no surprise, as Nokia Windows Phone apps have already been rebranded to Lumia.

Holiday season ads for the Microsoft smartphones should also push the Microsoft Lumia name.

The September 2013 $7.2 billion Microsoft acquisition of the Nokia handset business also covered a 10-year license for the Nokia brand-- but it seems Nokia has all but lost its value with consumers. After all, Windows Phone remains a tiny mobile player compared to iOS and Android, even if Microsoft still hopes low end WP devices will prove popular in emerging markets.

Either way, it seems the recently announced Nokia Lumia 730 and 830 handsets will be last handsets bearing the name of what was once the Finnish mobile titan.

Go Nokia France Facebook Announcement

Go Microsoft Lumia Will Replace the Nokia Brand (The Verge)