Nokia Adds Windows Live Services to Phones

A Nokia and Microsoft agreement to bring various Windows Live services to Nokia phone customers in 11 countries went online yesterday, giving customers access to their first version of a new Windows Live suite of mobile applications. However, the deal applies only to a limited set of phones and doesn't yet affect US customers.

"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 them from the PC to the device," said Microsoft Senior Vice President Steve Berkowitz. "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."

Effective immediately, users of compatible Nokia S60 smart phones--the Nokia N73, N80 Internet Edition, N95, N76, and the N93i--can download a new suite of Windows Live tools, including mobile versions of Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Contacts, and Windows Live Spaces. These services will also be available to customers who purchase Nokia Series 40 phones, which are due in 2008.

The suite will initially be available as a free trial, but will become a paid subscription service by the end of the year. Microsoft says the monthly fee should be about 2 Euros a month in addition to whatever data fees customers are charged by via their mobile provider. Nokia is the world's largest maker of mobile phones.