Nokia to offer Microsoft Apps for Symbian phones

Stuart Corner
Friday, 09 September 2011 15:16

Business IT - Technology

Nokia is getting closer to the world of Windows, with plans to offer a range of Microsoft apps that will run on the latest version of Symbian (Belle), including the first native non-Windows versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

The free updates, called Microsoft Apps, deliver a suite of Microsoft productivity applications to compatible Nokia smartphones. According to Nokia, they require no additional infrastructure and "help add immediate business advantage to the first Symbian Belle devices as well as delivering significant additional value to existing Nokia business customers who upgrade to Symbian Belle."

Pat Fox, senior director of marketing and planning for Microsoft Office, said: "Microsoft productivity apps for Nokia Symbian will help customers remain connected to Microsoft Office documents and services when they're on go."

The apps will be available by the end of 4Q 2011 with broad consumer availability at the beginning of 2012. They will include collaboration and productivity tools (Microsoft Lync 2010 Mobile, Microsoft OneNote, Microsoft PowerPoint Broadcast and Microsoft Document Connection (, which provides Microsoft SharePoint access).

An update in the first half of 2012 will introduce Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint as native applications for the first time outside the Windows platform.

All the apps will be delivered via software update over the air or via PC download and will function on the Nokia N8, Nokia C7, Nokia C6-01, Nokia E7, Nokia E6, Nokia X7, Nokia 700, Nokia 701, Nokia 600 and Nokia Oro.

Also, Nokia is working with Microsoft to provide mobile device management of Symbian Belle devices through Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2012.