Nokia and Yahoo! announced a new alliance that will extend the reach of their leading online services, thus offering the consumers rich experiences that will keep them connected to their world and the world which is around them.
Nokia and Yahoo! will combine their strengths in e-mail, instant messaging and navigation services in order to provide the consumers with access to professional world-class experiences on both Windows-Based PCs and Mobile Devices.
Nokia will provide the maps and navigation services of Yahoo!, integrating Ovi Maps across Yahoo! properties, branded as “powered by Ovi”. Yahoo! will provide the Ovi Mail and Ovi Chat Services of Nokia, branded as “Ovi Mail/ Ovi Chat powered by Yahoo!”. Yahoo! and Nokia are also planning to work on ID federation between their services. This is all done as a part of the alliance they are making.
CEO of Nokia, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, said that Delivering great user experiences – both online and on the consumers mobile – is what this alliance is all about, and that they are enabling millions of Yahoo! customers in key markets including North America to discover the unique capabilities that Ovi Maps brings. Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo also said that Yahoo!’s online expertise will bring exciting mail and messaging enhancements to millions of Ovi Mail customers across almost every country worldwide, many of whom will have their first Internet experience on their mobile.
CEO of Yahoo!, Carol Bartz, said that they are very excited to expand the reach of their best-in-class Mail and Messenger services, bringing personalized experiences to more people across the mobile web, particularly in emerging markets where they are seeding the next generation of Yahoo! users. He also said that at the same time, they believe Nokia’s strength and continued investment in maps and navigation will greatly enhance their existing products, enabling them to focus on areas that are core to their business.
Yahoo! and Nokia will continue delivering compelling Internet experiences together. They will utilize their respective global distribution advantages and brand recognition across consumer audiences.
Select, co-branded service offerings are expected to become available from the second half of 2010, with global availability expected in 2011.