Nokia announced it has entered into an exclusive partnership with Yahoo to provide Yahoo services direct on select Nokia mobile phones.
The Finnish phone manufacturer said the first mobile phones with Yahoo content will be available during the second half of 2010, and a global launch is expected early next year. Nokia will offer maps and navigation services to Yahoo, with Yahoo giving Nokia access to its online e-mail and other services.
Nokia, the largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world, has looked for partnerships with content providers as the company continues to face competition in the smartphone market. Both Apple and Google have seen a drastic increase in robust software on their phone platforms -- and Nokia has had to find different companies to work with.
"Delivering great user experiences - both online and on your mobile - is what this alliance is all about," said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, Nokia CEO, in a press statement.
Over the past few years, Nokia has invested at least $10 billion bringing e-mail, music downloads, and other software-based features to its phones. The effort has been worth the cost and effort, but new deals with Yahoo and others should offer a wider variety of choices.
Meanwhile, Yahoo has looked for a way to enter the lucrative mobile market -- in an effort to gain revenue from mobile advertising -- and will also work with Samsung.
These types of partnerships will continue to take place in the future, especially with companies that need some type of boost. Apple, Google and Research In Motion are able to offer their own services while supporting third-party apps, but other phone makers need to find software partners.
