Nokia Windows phones to be on markets from 2012

PanARMENIAN.Net - Nokia board chairman said Nokia Windows phones will be on the markets from 2012 on and noted that Nokia has other potential partners in addition to Microsoft and Google.

Nokia announced last week it will partner with Microsoft and adopt Windows Phone software across its devices, replacing its home-grown Symbian platform and turning the world's largest cellphone maker into a pure hardware player.

"These Windows-based products will be on markets from 2012 onwards," Jorma Ollila said in an interview with Finnish broadcaster YLE.

Nokia Chief Executive Stephen Elop said the firm is feeling the pressure and aimed to produce a phone running new partner Microsoft's operating system by the end of this year.

Ollila said Microsoft was not the only option for Nokia and noted many companies showed their interest in cooperating with the Finnish mobile phone maker. "There were Microsoft, Google and our own choice (to continue alone). And in addition to these we also had other suitors."

He also said he was not pressured by any shareholders about who should be Nokia's chief executive. Elop started at the helm of Nokia last September and the Canadian is the first non-Finn to head the firm.

Ollila repeated that he is available to work at Nokia board until 2012, Reuters reported.