No change in Sri Lanka over Nokia acquisition, Microsoft says
View(s):Microsoft’s recently revealed planned phase-out of the iconic Nokia brand, for which it currently holds the right of use, will not have an immediate impact for Sri Lankan consumers, according to Poojitha Rajapakse, Director OEM at Microsoft Sri Lanka.Speaking to the Business Times on the sidelines of the launch of two computer products locally, Mr. Rajapakse said the company’s strategy is to extend its device platform and the acquisition of Nokia was a strategic one.
He also added that this move had no immediate impact on Sri Lanka since there was a national distributor here, and so Lumia programmes would continue in the same way locally, and even worldwide. He was responding to international media reports that Microsoft would be phasing out the Finnish mobile phone brand following its US$ 7.2 billion acquisition of the mobile unit of the formerly world leading feature phone maker.
According to these reports, the iconic Nokia brand will be phased out by end 2015, after which Microsoft can no longer use the brand for Lumia and X devices. However, it was also noted that Microsoft would be allowed to use the Nokia brand for the low-end feature phone segment for a further 10 years, a segment which, as of now, continues to shrink year by year as smartphone prices keep dropping.