Microsoft Drops Nokia Brand, Replaces It with “Microsoft Lumia”

Microsoft completed the acquisition of Nokia’s Devices and Services unit earlier this year, and since then, the company tried to fully integrate the smartphone lineup into its offering with several subtle branding tweaks that hinted at more ambitious plans for the Redmond-based software giant.

Microsoft thus decided to give up on the Nokia brand and launch its very own, in order not only to complete the transition to a mobile world but also to emphasize that new smartphones do not belong to the Finnish manufacturer anymore. The Nokia brand will be replaced by Microsoft Lumia, and although the Softies are yet to release an official announcement in this regard, The Verge says that one could come very soon. Microsoft France appears to be the first division switching to Microsoft Lumia branding for social media accounts, including Facebook and Twitter, and all the others will follow very soon.

Nokia not yet dead

The decision to give up on the Nokia brand isn’t really surprising, because Microsoft already tried to let everyone know that its own lineup of devices was on its way. This summer for example, videos that were published online indicated that Windows Phone would be renamed to Windows, in an attempt to better capitalize on the popularity of the desktop operating system and attract more buyers. Microsoft often referred to Windows Phone as just “Windows” and offered hints that Nokia could soon be replaced by a new brand. Its name, however, was never disclosed.

But even though Microsoft gives up on Nokia, this doesn’t necessarily mean that this particular brand would go away entirely. Nokia still exists as a standalone entity, as Microsoft only purchased its Devices and Services unit, so all the other divisions still exist.

Microsoft or Windows handsets

Now that the Nokia branding will no longer show up on new smartphones, everyone’s wondering if Microsoft wants to use its name on the devices it builds or simply turn to the Windows logo. At the same time, the aforementioned source says that putting the Lumia or Microsoft brand on the front and back of the new devices is also possible, and so is a scenario that will see the company adopt the Microsoft Lumia branding for new handsets. This, however, is less likely, especially because it might not look good on smaller devices. Microsoft is expected to make a full announcement on this and share all details very soon, but the first handsets wearing the new brand should be here in just a couple of months.

Microsoft Lumia is the new brand of phones belonging to the Redmond-based giant
Image credits to Nokia / Microsoft

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