The Nokia brand could be obsolete by the end of this year, as Microsoft’s takeover of the iconic mobile maker nears completion.
After years of legal wrangling, Microsoft will finally take over the Finnish smartphone maker this Friday, with reports that the US company about to scrap the Nokia name.
According to a letter discovered by Nokiapoweruser, Nokia’s mobile division will soon be rebranded Microsoft Mobile Oy.
The letter states “Please note that upon the close of the transaction between Microsoft and Nokia, the name of Nokia Corporation/Nokia Oyj will change to Microsoft Mobile Oy. Microsoft Mobile Oy is the legal entity name that should be used for VAT IDs and for the issuance of invoices.”
The words “Oyj” and “Oy” are Finnish and refer to whether the company is a corporation or a public company.
Whilst it’s unclear whether the Nokia and Lumia branding will disappear from handsets, Nokia’s CEO, Stephen Elop, has confirmed that the future is uncertain.
Speaking to TechRadar last year, Elop said, “What we have to decide is what the brand will be.
Because we have not decided what brand will be dominant for smartphones, that’s work that’s still ahead. And of course the way we’ll go through that process is to assess with consumers what they respond most positively to, what conveys the best message and the best hopes of success.”
Nokia launched its first portable handset in 1984 and has gone on to sell billions of devices across the globe.
During the 1990’s Nokia became the must-have phones, and its 3210 handset sold over 160 million worldwide.
But since the rise of the smartphone Nokia have struggled, with Apple and Samsung now dominating the market.
Microsoft will be hoping to revitalise the brand even if it does mean losing the classic Nokia name.
Microsoft’s purchase of Nokia’s Devices division is expected to be completed later this month, after facing some last minute delays in China, at which time we’re sure to get all the official details.