First deliverable from Microsoft and Nokia alliance aims to simplify mobile collaboration
Microsoft Corp. and Nokia today launched the first application from their alliance around mobile productivity, Microsoft Communicator Mobile for Nokia devices. This new unified communications client connects directly with a company’s communications systems to streamline mobile collaboration. Owners of a number of Symbian-based Nokia Eseries smartphones can download the English version today from Nokia’s Ovi Store, the easiest place to get content on their Nokia devices.
“Our alliance with Nokia aims to bring the Microsoft Office productivity experience to the millions of people using Nokia smartphones around the world,” said Kirt Debique, general manager, Microsoft Office Communications Platform & Solutions Group, Microsoft. “With the arrival of Communicator Mobile for Nokia today, we have a great start to fulfilling our joint vision.”
Communicator Mobile enables people to see their colleagues’ availability and click to communicate with them using the best method, from instant messaging and e-mailing to texting and making a phone call. The names and statuses of colleagues are embedded directly into the devices’ contacts application, enabling people to update their own presence, start and join instant messaging sessions, and begin calls directly from the contact card.
“This application really provides a much more efficient way to work with others, as you can see if someone is busy or available and the best way to start a conversation with them,” said Ukko Lappalainen, vice president at Nokia. “It also meets all of the requirements for the enterprise: cost-effective to implement, secure, familiar and reliable.”
The launch is the first product from the alliance — announced this past August — which was the first time either company had embarked on an agreement of this scope and nature. Since then, the two companies have been collaborating on the design and development of new solutions, as well as embarking on joint marketing efforts around others they already share.
“As part of our push to constantly enhance our unified communications proposition, we are keen to extend the collaborative benefits of Microsoft Communicator Mobile to Nokia devices,” said Scott Petty, director of Vodafone Products and Services, Vodafone Group Business Services. “Communicator Mobile offers great potential for our large corporate customer base who have already deployed Communicator for desktop and now are looking to extend that existing infrastructure to mobile.”
“We trial all potential offerings ourselves and have been very happy with the internal response and productivity increase we have experienced using Microsoft Communicator Mobile,” said Roger Wuthrich-Hasenbohler, executive vice president at Swisscom/Webcall. “Having these two companies work together is really helping us serve the needs of our customers.”
This new application, available initially for Nokia E72 and Nokia E52, adds to the work Nokia is already doing in optimizing direct access to e-mail and other personal information with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. The companies plan to deliver Communicator Mobile for Nokia pre-installed on select Nokia smartphones in the future and plan to support additional devices, including the recently announced Nokia E5.
