Nokia promises a batch of Windows Phone Mango devices, new ones every few months

By Tom Warren, on 26th May 11 9:52 am with 15 Comments

Nokia and Microsoft partnership

Nokia is confident it will supply a “batch” of Windows Phone Mango devices and new devices every few months.

Speaking in a series of interviews this week, Nokia’s executive vice president of smart devices, Jo Harlow, has revealed parts of the company’s Windows Phone plans. “We should be launching new devices in a rhythm that might be every couple of months, every three months, something like that,” she said to PC Magazine earlier this week. The Finnish smartphone maker is currently building Windows Phone devices in collaboration with Microsoft. Andy Lees, the President of Microsoft’s Mobile Communication Business, revealed that several Nokia devices were already running Mango during a press event earlier this week.

Harlow refused to confirm whether the company will deliver a Nokia Windows Phone before the end of the year, but did hint that their deadline might be met. “I’m quite pleased with our progress,” said Harlow in an interview with Forbes. “Our target is absolutely still this year…and the target looks good.” The target isn’t a single device either. Nokia plans a “small portfolio” of devices at launch. Nokia confirmed last week that the company plans to use current Qualcomm chips in the first round of Windows Phone Mango devices.

Rumors surfaced on Thursday that Nokia is considering future Windows Phone devices based on dual-core ST-Ericsson chips. The first ST-Ericsson chipset inside a Nokia Windows Phone will be the U8500 reportedly. The silicon is a dual-core system-on-a-chip which is also available inside the Samsung Infuse 4G and Sidekick 4G. Forbes reported on Thursday that Nokia will use the chips on its “Windows Phone 8″ devices. The information backs up rumors that Microsoft may unveil a full chassis 2 hardware specification for its next generation Windows Phones. Nokia has allegedly been working closely with Microsoft on the new chassis specification to ensure they are able to create cheaper Windows Phone devices for the mass market.

Nokia’s Windows Phone devices are currently labelled with “W” (for Windows). The first handset is expected to be a variant of Nokia’s X7 device. The prototype is equipped with a WVGA display, Qualcomm QSD8250 chipset and 8MP camera. Nokia is also rumored to be launching a dual-core N8 variant with a 12MP camera, QWERTY touchscreen candy bar phone and a cheaper touchscreen device with less expensive body.

  • GP007

    I hope this holds true, NOkia has no real choice other than pushing WP as hard as they can with new hardware in the low end and all the way up to N8 type pricy levels.   I expect good things this fall from all OEMs actually.

    • http://www.winrumors.com Tom W

      I think it will, the rumors of 12 devices next year sound solid now. Can’t wait to see their first offering and I have a funny feeling it will come when Mango launches (October time).

    • Tom

      Then there’s ZTE.  Which is famous for building Android phones that sell for $150 *unsubsidized*.

      Because the carriers will not offer a phone for less than free, there is no price competition in the market for phones costing less than $400.  They simply sell you the $150 phone for free and pocket the extra $250 in subsidy that they did not have to dole out.

      That’s the real antitrust issue.  And it’s also Apple’s lifeline against the Android tide.

  • http://twitter.com/Joy1980 Joyette Scantlebury

    I honestly believe that MS should have announced two devices at launch and then a new device every month or 2 months would have been better than to drop all one time and then nothing for a year.

    • zzz

      Well, they did release DVP, HTC Pro and Trophy (and HD7S soon) in intervals since the launch. And I expect/hope we will see couple more before the next batch w/ Mango — Sprint could use a non-qwerty device (maybe a Focus/Omnia variant?) and maybe Verizon will get a qwerty one.  Both Sprint and Verizon are getting their devices a bit late in their cycle, which is particularly embrassing for Verizon, but that’s probably consistent with AT&T cozy relationship with MS and the way Verizon execs have been trying to throw cold water into WP7′s launch.

    • Gec343

      “Verizon execs have been trying to throw cold water into WP7′s launch” or maybe just an intelligent reaction to previous experiences with the company…  they have seen MS mobile is a KIN to failure!

    • Guest

      “Verizon execs have been trying to throw cold water into WP7′s launch.”
      Antitrust?

  • http://twitter.com/SteveBarker66 Steve Barker

    How will a “QWERTY touchscreen candy bar phone” sit with Microsoft’s WP chassis specs? How will Live Tiles work on a smaller-screen device like the forthcoming E6? This form-factor has been a huge hit with Nokia through the E71 and E72/73 – I hope Nokia’s tradition of building innovative and highly usable form-factors will not be strangled by the adoption of Windows Phone

  • Manish

    Really great news.  Great going Nokia

  • Aaron

    I think 2012 will be a turning point for WP because I honestly think their biggest problem is lack of numbers.  Every time I go into an AT&T or T-Mobile store, I see a sea of android phones.  They keep the 1 or 2 WP7 devices in a corner.  So I’m not exactly shocked to hear sales haven’t been high.  Nokia’s large line up will go a long ways in helping solve that.

  • Hernan Lozano

    I need some god damn OLED screens on those phones, Nokia!

    • Morgan Wisbey

      Actually I have OLED on my Samsung Focus and I am noticing screen burn in. While the blacks may be the darkest, OLED does have its faults and weakness. Personally I hope they get something along the line of Retina Display or better.

    • Morgan Wisbey

      Actually I have OLED on my Samsung Focus and I am noticing screen burn in. While the blacks may be the darkest, OLED does have its faults and weakness. Personally I hope they get something along the line of Retina Display or better.

  • MaryM

    It is like being invited to the prom and then the boy picks you up on his bike :(   

  • http://profiles.google.com/atypicalgeek Bernd Friedmann

    I like seeing what MS does and I think the software has great potential. The big question is will all the partners really implement all the features. Something like the British Airways example, the best buy example and others. If they get all the vendors to do that, they will be unbeatable, cause nobody has any of those features in their OS. Then your phone will turn into an electronic secretary as well … it will not only remind you to follow up, which is painful, it tells you actually when it is done, so no need to follow up … I am curious to see what they will do the next couple of years … that’s when I think they have the software right and partners that have their features implemented …