Microsoft has confirmed that it is scrapping the Nokia brand and renaming future phones Microsoft Lumia. The confirmation came from the company's official conversations blog, which details how Microsoft Lumia devices will be branded.
From the looks of it, the new label appears to follow the current position of the Nokia name. This will be true in both the front and back parts of the device. However, the ubiquitous Windows icon is said to occupy a portion of the device's rear side.
"In the coming weeks and months, you'll start seeing even more brand experience come to life across different channels as we transition from Nokia Lumia to Microsoft Lumia," says Tuula Rytilä, senior vice-president of marketing for phones at Microsoft.
While the Lumia phones will totally drop the Nokia brand, Microsoft can continue to use the Nokia brand on entry-level phones because of a 10-year license.
"Microsoft will continue to sell Nokia-branded, entry-level category of phones, such as the Nokia 130," adds Rytilä. "We have licensed the Nokia brand for such devices."
So far, Microsoft has 18 months to temporarily use the Nokia brand on mobile devices. This period will give the company ample time to transition to Microsoft Lumia.
Microsoft also revealed that sales for Lumia Windows Phones in the latest quarter reached 9.3 million. The number is a slight increase from the sales record of 8.8 million during the same period in 2013.
The recent impressive sales of Lumia gives Microsoft a chance to make the Windows Phone a third placer in the smartphone OS race.
Apart from the new branding, Rytilä says that even the apps will receive name changes in order for users to know that the apps are now of Microsoft origin. Lumia phones will feature the best of Microsoft's popular services, such as Bing, Skype, OneDrive and Office.
As Nokia is about to get a new home in Microsoft, the move extends to the transitioning of the company's global and local websites. Even the social channels are expected to carry the new name.
"We would like to invite our Lumia fans to continue to follow us and always be up to speed with the latest device news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram," says Rytilä.
