In a deal that could mark the beginning of a less contentious relationship between the companies, cell phone giant Nokia has licensed key Microsoft technologies for digital media and email. Previously, Nokia had shown little interest in Microsoft's wares, largely because it saw the company's Windows Mobile platform as an up-and-coming competitor to Nokia's successful cell phones.
Under terms of the agreement, Nokia will license various Microsoft Windows Media technologies, including Windows Media Audio (WMA), Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) version 10, Media Transfer Protocol (MTP), and a Windows Media Player (WMP) plug-in for the MPEG Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) family of codecs. These technologies will let Nokia cell phones more easily integrate with WMP-based music on Windows XP-based PCs, the companies say.
"This agreement makes it easier for consumers to download the music they want to listen to, without having to worry about whether or not the file format is supported," Anssi Vanjoki, senior vice president and general manager of Nokia's Multimedia Business Group, said. "It's all about enabling choice without compromising compatibility. The broad-reaching popularity of Windows Media Player, its comprehensive feature set, and its support for service integration made it a natural choice for us when looking at the PC component of the mobile music solution we are offering to mobile operators."
Nokia will also use Microsoft technology to help its users wirelessly synchronize their email, calendar information, and address books between high-end Nokia phones and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. "Nokia is committed to answering the broader needs of enterprises across the world by giving them access to the widest possible choice of email and personal information solutions on the market today and tomorrow," Mary McDowell, senior vice president and general manager of Nokia's Enterprise Solutions Business Group, said.
