01/30, 2:47pm
AT&T Lumia 900 most likely first update in US
After an oft-delayed start, the Windows Phone 7.8 update has begun its rollout to some phones currently on Windows Phone 7.5. Starting today and proceeding through February a message will appear on the screen of users' Nokia Lumia 510, 610, 710, 800, and 900 handsets encouraging the update. Rollout timing is operator dependent, with the AT&T Lumia 900 expected to lead the pack in the US. Unlocked phones may have the update available earlier.
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10/16, 7:31am
Nokia, a victim of its own success and poor choices
How does a company that was the leading mobile handset maker in the world for 15 years, and $11 Billion in cash just five years ago become an also ran? That’s a question many at Nokia must have asked themselves as they watched it lose control of its own destiny and instead become highly reliant on a strategic alliance with Microsoft to survive. A former manager with the Finnish phone giant spoke with Electronista about the company's unraveling over the past five years, which he traced to Nokia's decision to pursue both Symbian OS and Maemo OS as two distinct development initiatives.
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09/02, 7:27pm
Lumia 610 to sport 4-inch display
Even as Nokia prepares to reveal its new Windows Phone 8 handsets, the Finnish phone maker also appears to be ready to expand its offerings for Windows Phone 7. Sources familiar with Nokia's workings tell The Verge that Nokia is working on a new Windows Phone 7 model that will feature a 4-inch display. The new model is intended to be a low-end model in the tradition of the Lumia 610.
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08/16, 7:27am
Nokia sales chief calls out Samsung by name in tweet
Nokia's sales chief Chris Weber has taken to Twitter directly calling out Samsung. Of its upcoming Windows Phone 8 handsets due to be unveiled on September 5, Weber tweeted, "Samsung take note, next generation Lumia coming soon." With the Finnish handset maker struggling to gain traction with its current Windows Phone 7 line up, Weber could either be trying to build hype, or could be very confident that Nokia has got it right with its latest smartphones.
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07/16, 5:37am
Lumia 900 gets reduced to just $50 subsidized
Nokia and AT&T have slashed the price of the Lumia 900 Windows Phone 7 flagship handset to just $50 on a two-year plan. With most flagship handsets costing anywhere up to $199 on a two year contract, the Lumia 900 had debuted in April at an already thrifty $99. A recent analysis of Lumia 900 sales in the US suggests that Nokia has managed just 330,000 sales since its debut, while news that the smartphone won't be upgradeable to Windows Phone 8 may also be behind the price cut.
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06/26, 7:01am
Microsoft gives Windows Phone 7.5 users a peek at revamped UI
Microsoft has demoed the Windows 7.8 start screen in a video embedded below. The update will be the last major upgrade that owners of current Windows 7 phone owners will see. It is modelled in many ways on the Windows Phone 8 start screen, helping to minimize the disappointment for current owners as their handsets will not be compatible with the next-generation of the OS.
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05/03, 5:05am
Outgoing Nokia chairman promises new gadgets
Nokia has promised new products ahead of what is expected to be a relatively heated meeting with disgruntled shareholders. In an interview with the Financial Times, retiring Chairman Jorma Ollila has said that the former world number one handset maker by volume would be releasing tablets as well as unspecified ‘hybrid’ smart devices, although without committing to a timeframe. His comments come on the back of Nokia’s shares being downgraded to ‘junk’ status as well as a disastrous past five years that has seen its shares plummet in value by 90 percent.
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04/25, 6:10am
Nokia struggling to match demand for Lumia 900
Nokia’s UK Lumia 900 launch originally anticipated to launch April 27 has been bumped back to ‘around May 14,’ the reportedly the result of stronger than expected demand for the flagship Windows Phone 7 device in the US. The company has said that demand for the device is outstripping supply and that it is ramping up production of the Lumia 900 so that can strike a better balance between supply and demand.
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04/19, 6:25am
Nokia smartphone sales continue to slide
Nokia has posted (pdf) another disappointing quarterly result. For the first quarter of 2012, it has reported an operating loss of $1.7 billion, with a net loss of $775 million. Nokia had originally hoped to turn a small profit for the period, but a massive dive in smartphone sales put an end
to that more optimistic outlook. Instead, the company only sold 11.9 smartphones for the quarter against the 24.9 million it did during the same period last year.
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04/05, 1:05am
Cost-saving innards help keep price low
A detailed teardown of the new Nokia Lumia 900 has shown that despite a solid external build quality, compromises made inside the device and with the display may keep it from being a contender against Samsung's Galaxy Nexus or Apple's iPhone. The phone, which runs Windows Phone 7, features a single-core Snapdragon S2 processor, an 800x480 AMOLED display, along with 16GB of flash storage as tested by TechRepublic.
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03/28, 7:40am
Nokia Lumia 800C first CDMA WP7 phone in China
Nokia has announced that it as teamed exclusively with China Telecom to bring its first wave of Windows Phone 7 handsets to the critical Chinese smartphone market. The first handset to lead the charge is the Lumia 800C, which is a CDMA variant of the the Lumia 800 already launched in other international markets. In addition to being the first CDMA Windows Phone in China, it will also come with additional content pre-installed and unique to the Chinese market.
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03/23, 7:15am
Rovio says Angry Birds Space a no go for WP7
(Update: Rovio CEO denies it) A notable, and somewhat surprising, omission from yesterday’s global launch of Angry Birds Space across multiple platforms was a Windows Phone 7 version. In what may amount to a significant blow to the prestige and perceived value of the Windows Phone 7 platform, Angry Birds Space developer Rovio told Bloomberg that it has no plans at all for a WP7 version. This is despite its original version of Angry Birds remaining one of the top sellers on the WP7 Marketplace.
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03/20, 5:45am
Developers peg iOS at 1, Android 2, WP7 3
Following news that Battleheart developer Mika Mobile is dropping support for the Android platform, a new survey of developer interest in mobile platforms shows that this could be a sign of a growing trend facing the Android platform. In explaining its reasons for dropping Android support, Mika Mobile said that the fragmentation of the platform meant that it had been forced to spend countless hours ‘modifying shaders and texture formats to work on different GPUs…’ among other complaints. Appcelerator found that even though the Android platform is expanding, developer interest is waning, a result of the massive array of devices and hardware configurations requiring support.
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03/14, 6:15am
Nokia Lumia 900 could now arrive in early April
Nokia’s anticipated high-end Windows Phone 7 toting Lumia 900 has now been tipped to arrive on AT&T’s network on April 8. The Nokia smartphone flagship was originally expected to arrive stateside by the end of March for $99 and was then said to have slipped to April 22 due a lack of technical approval. However, someone claiming to be an AT&T assistant store manager has tipped off The Verge that stores are already starting to receive demo units and staff training is to commence soon.
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03/13, 5:25am
Nokia on the verge of WP7 push into China
Nokia has confirmed that it is planning a special Chinese Windows Phone launch for March 28. The announcement supports a recent report that Nokia has developed China-specific CDMA versions of its new Windows Phone 7 line-up which will begin shipping in April. The two phones set to lead the Nokia Windows Phone charge in China will be the low-end Lumia 610 and the mid-tier Lumia 800, with the high-end Lumia 900 shipping sometime afterwards.
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02/16, 7:30pm
Nokia Lumia 800 lands in value-added bundle
Nokia’s Lumia 800 Windows Phone 7.5 smartphone has landed as a value-added bundle at Microsoft Retail Stores. Users can pick Nokia’s new iOS and Android challenger in black or magenta with a radio optimized for AT&T. In the bundle is also a Nokia Play 360 Bluetooth Speaker, a pair of Nokia’s Purity HD headphones as well as a Nokia Bluetooth headset, all for $899 outright.
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02/08, 9:30pm
Company focusing on Microsoft's mobile OS
Nokia may be putting all of its weight into Microsoft's Windows Phone platform, according to the company's European manager, Victor Saeijs. The executive told the Swedish news outlet Dagens Industri that the handset maker's Windows Phone investments must prove successful, as there is no "plan B."
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02/08, 7:15pm
Pricing and launch date expected soon
Microsoft has quickly terminated its pre-order program for Nokia's Lumia 900 handset, after taking deposits for a week. The company has yet to disclose full details surrounding the move, however it has ignited speculation that the flagship Windows Phone 7 smartphone may be nearing its ship date.
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01/23, 5:10am
Windows Phone reaches new milestone in quick timeT
The Windows Phone Marketplace has reached its latest milestone, cracking the 60,000 app barrier. The figure comes some 14 months after the launch of Windows Phone 7 in October 2010 when it launched with just 1,000 apps. It had reached its previous milestone of 50,000 apps at the end of December showing a sudden acceleration as it has added a further 10,000 apps in just the past 25 days.
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12/27, 5:10am
Windows Phone 7 one step closer to full jailbreak
An enterprising hacker @Jaxbot has developed WindowBreak, an interop-unlock for Samsung Windows Phone 7 mobile phones. While not a full jailbreak, the new code [video embedded below] is the first major step towards allowing users the ability to install and run homebrew apps on the WP7 devices. Currently, the WindowBreak hack does not work on all WP7 devices, but should work with further tweaking from other hackers within the developer community.
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12/15, 6:10am
Microsoft releases another cross-platform app
Microsoft has announced a mobile version of its Lync application for both its own Windows Phone 7 platform as well as Android. The WP7 version (Free, Windows Marketplace) and the Android version (Free, Android Market) are now available for download, while a version for iOS has also been submitted for approval. Formerly known as Office Communicator, the app brings a combination of VoIP, instant messaging and conferencing.
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12/12, 11:35pm
Company takes dig at Google for platform security
Microsoft has offered to provide free Windows Phone 7 devices to individuals affected by malware targeted at Android devices. The promotion takes a dig at Google amid reports that the search giant was forced to remove 22 more Android Market titles that were found to contain malicious code.
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11/30, 4:15pm
Windows Phone devices to follow Android offerings
Just days after Lenovo unveiled several new Android-based smartphones, the company has reportedly confirmed plans to expand its lineup with Windows Phone handsets. One of the company's product managers, Chen Yue, acknowledged that images showing the S2 handset running Windows Phone 7 are genuine, as the company is already developing devices that take advantage of Microsoft's mobile platform.
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10/28, 7:35am
Microsoft issues media invite for new WP7 event
Microsoft is planning on holding a Windows Phone 7 event in New York on November 7. The company has issued an invite to the media for the event that it says will showcase new Windows 7.5 (Mango) Phone devices and chat to Joe Belfiore and Andy Lees. The event also coincides the rumored launch of the Tango third-party video chat app for Windows Phones.
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10/26, 5:30am
Nokia makes comeback attempt with WP7 phones
Nokia has formally unveiled its first Windows Phone 7 mobile devices. CEO Stephen Elop took the wraps off the new devices at its London Nokia World 2011 special event. Two phones will be heading the Nokia charge, the Lumia 800 (Sea Ray) and the Lumia 710 (Sabre).
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10/13, 6:50am
Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) launches in India
Microsoft has held a formal event to launch a trio of Windows Phone 7 Mango handsets in India. The launch was held at the Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi on Wednesday, where Microsoft India chairman Bhaskar Pramanik announced the impending arrival of the HTC Radar, Samsung Omnia W and the Acer Allegro. The first of the three to land on the Indian market will be HTC’s Radar, which arrives next week.
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10/05, 10:30pm
A third Nokia Windows 7 phone has been leaked
A new Nokia Windows Phone has surfaced in an apparent screen shot listing upcoming handsets on France’s Orange mobile network. According to French website Mon Windows Phone, the phone is referred to as the Nokia Sun, and may join the known Nokia phones that have leaked to date including the Sea Ray and the Sabre. However, a possibility exists that it could also be one of these two models, but renamed for the French or European market.
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10/02, 9:45pm
Nokia Maps app set for Nokia's WP7 handsets
The highly regarded Nokia Maps service has been given an app placeholder in the Windows Phone Marketplace. The app is expected to be an exclusive for Nokia’s forthcoming Windows Phone 7 mobiles, and is an example of the way in which Nokia will have certain privileges in its deal with Microsoft that will help differentiate its devices from competitors. Screenshots are embedded below.
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09/28, 9:55pm
Problems spotted on Windows Phone 7
Microsoft has quietly acknowledged a privacy problem with its Windows Phone 7 software, following a number of critical reports. The company posted information on its privacy pages admitting that its mobile OS exhibits "unintended behavior" by sending location information, such as details of nearby Wi-Fi access points and cell towers, even when a user declines to share such data.
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09/23, 7:35pm
WP7 shown to access user data without permission
Windows Phone 7 jailbreaker Rafael Rivera has demonstrated that the Windows Phone 7 camera application collects user data without permission. In testing Microsoft’s claims that it does not collect data without permission, Rivera found that data packets are sent back to Microsoft even after users opt out of sharing their location. The claims were tested in response to a current lawsuit underway where are user accuses the Redmond-based company of tracking users unlawfully.
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09/23, 8:40am
AT&T to roll out WP& Mango from September 27
AT&T is expected to begin the long awaited Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) update to users starting September 27. The devices set to get the update are the HTC Surround, LG Quantum and the Samsung Focus. However, users of the HTC HD7 will have to wait until mid-October for their update.
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09/22, 7:50am
HTC Radar 4G set for T-Mobile US
The HTC Radar 4G Windows Phone 7.5 has been spotted in the wild carrying T-Mobile US branding. The photos supplied to Tmo News show a boot screen revealing a T-Mobile version of the Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) OS, as well as T-Mobile’s TV mobile TV app. Although officially announced by HTC, the device has not been given a US launch date.
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09/20, 4:50pm
Updates to v7 apps to be supported in October
Ahead of the full Windows Phone 7.5 'Mango' rollout, Microsoft is still encouraging developers to submit apps for the latest version of the mobile platform. In a blog post, Microsoft's senior director of the Windows Phone Marketplace, Todd Brix, admits that some developers have already complained about potential problems with the upgrade, which require separate app releases for the v7.0 and v7.5 editions.
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09/12, 7:10am
Windows Phone 7.5 Mango to drop this week?
Rumors are persisting that Microsoft will release the long anticipated major update to Windows Phone 7 this week. Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) was released to manufacturers back in July, giving them time to test the OS with the next-generation of Windows Phone 7 handsets. Microsoft also started accepting apps for Mango in late August, suggesting that a launch is imminent.
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08/25, 7:55pm
Device resembles Flyer design
Corroborating recent rumors, leaked photos allegedly show HTC's unannounced Omega handset. The press renderings, which were posted by Pocketnow, suggest the Windows Phone 7 device will be built with a white and silver color scheme, offering a similar appearance to the company's Android-based Flyer tablet.
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08/23, 5:55pm
Needs more 3rd party apps to attract buyers
Microsoft is now ready to accept apps from developers for its upcoming Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) release. The company has let developers know through an update on its developer blog that the system for submitting apps is now up and running. Accordingly, a release candidate SDK download is available so that programmers can compile their apps to adapt to the final version of Mango and test it to make sure it works.
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08/16, 8:25pm
Multiplayer gameplay said to be improved
As Microsoft continues to dish out more details surrounding the upcoming Windows Phone update, the company has announced a number of new features that aim to improve the gaming experience. The Mango release will enable gamers to unlock 'Avatar Awardables', items that can worn on an avatar's sleeve as a sign of achievement. The Xbox Live title Chickens Can't Fly is said to be the first game to support the feature.
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08/15, 9:45pm
Microsoft said to be working on resolution
Microsoft has admitted that the upcoming Windows Phone 7.5 update may cause a hiccup for many developers. As developers are beginning to submit applications for the major release, the company cautions that apps released for Windows Phone 7.0 devices will not be able to receive any further updates once a developer posts a v7.5 build.
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08/15, 6:45am
Nokia to tackle China mobile market with WP7
Nokia is planning on entering the large Chinese mobile phone market with its forthcoming Windows Phone 7 devices. A Nokia executive speaking in Beijing, Colin Giles, said that it plans on launching its new handsets on China Mobile’s 3G network using the TD-SCDMA standard. Giles did not offer a launch timeframe, but indicated that China would continue to figure strongly in Nokia’s plans moving forward.
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08/02, 10:55am
Sponsors $55,000 contest for best augmentation
Layar has announced the release of Layar Vision, an extension of its open source augmented reality platform for mobile devices. Layar Vision allows the device to recognize real world objects and show digital content layered over them. The Layar platform includes audio, video and animated objects, as well as location-based layers. The company claims the Layar software is installed on over 10 million mobile devices worldwide, including Windows Phone 7.
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07/21, 7:45am
Microsoft highlights new Mango mail functions
Microsoft has posted some new videos (embedded below) depicting its Windows Phone 7 (Mango) team members discussing upcoming email features in the forthcoming OS overhaul. The most notable of the new features is e-mail conversations, which has been done somewhat differently to other operating systems from a UI perspective. Instead of taking users out of the inbox in order to see a conversation thread, for example, the MS implementation allows users to quickly see the thread within the inbox.
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07/20, 4:00pm
Microsoft to begin taking Mango apps next month
Microsoft on Wednesday announced it will begin taking developer app submissions for Windows Phone 7 Mango in about one month's time. Developers will have the ability to submit their Mango apps to the App Hub to reach Windows Phone Marketplace in time for the launch. They will be required to use the Windows Phone Release Candidate tools that are expected to be released late in August.
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07/08, 4:10pm
Mango WP7 updates detailed by Microsoft
On its Windows Phone blog on Friday, Microsoft revealed the upcoming changes found within the Windows Phone 7 Mango update. One change to make navigating a large number of apps easier involved adding a quick jump menu, just like the one used to find contacts, to the App list. The alphabetical headers that separate the apps won't be seen unless there are at least 45 apps installed, however, to make the screen more visually appealing.
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06/21, 7:20am
Windows Phone 7 Mango reception positive
Several early previews of Windows Phone 7 ‘Mango' are in, and like the original release, the reviews are positive but with some reservations. The general consensus is that Microsoft has taken some significant strides with its 7.5 update that clearly warrant the company’s claim that it is a major update. Microsoft has given the OS a much more rounded, and finished feel. However, on the downside, some of the vaunted new features have potential, but in their current state are not yet implemented as well as they might.
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06/15, 11:35am
Remotely manageme Home Server from smartphone
Microsoft has made available the Release Candidate of Windows Server Solutions Phone Connector. The app enables a user to manage a server running Windows Home Server 2011 via a Windows Phone 7 mobile device. Using the connector, a user can both remotely control the server itself and relay media streams.
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06/09, 12:00pm
Promotion aims at gaining market share
Microsoft is trying to generate interest in the Windows Phone 7 platform with a promotion for three high-end handsets, the HTC HD7 from T-Mobile, the HTC Arrive from Sprint, and the HTC Trophy from Verizon. All three smartphones will be available for one cent with a new two year contract. In addition, T-Mobile is waiving activation its fee. The phones also will come with a card redeemable for 4,000 Xbox LIVE points.
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06/07, 4:00pm
SkyDrive capabilities arriving in Mango update
Microsoft has provided yet another preview of the upcoming Windows Phone 7 update, referred to as Mango. Following Apple's iCloud announcement, Microsoft has quickly highlighted the cloud-based features that will be available on WP7 handsets. SkyDrive is touted as a competitive option, enabling devices to automatically upload photos to cloud storage.
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05/31, 2:55pm
Device previewed at Computex expo
Acer has already previewed its Windows Phone 7 handset, just one week after the software giant revealed its smartphone partnership with the computer maker. The device, referred to as the W4, offers a standard set of WP7 hardware specs, including a 3.6-inch touchscreen with 800x480 resolution, a 1GHz processor, a five-megapixel camera with autofocus, and 8GB of storage.
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05/25, 4:55pm
Apps and game store will ship with Mango
Following the more formal reveal for Windows Phone 7's Mango update, details of a web-ready version of Windows Phone Marketplace emerged on Wednesday. Much like the native app on the phones themselves, customers will be able to browse the catalog, view screenshots, read app details and reviews, and then pay for and download selected apps and games. Marketplace uses Bing Virtual Search to help a user pore through the available apps.
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05/16, 8:10am
Nokia rebrands its online services
Nokia has announced that it is rebranding all of its Ovi online services. The company has said that its Ovi services will be rebranded as Nokia services as part of a transition that will continue through into 2012. New devices sold from July and August onwards will start to show the new branding, while existing devices will being receiving software updates to reflect the change.
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