It's official: Nokia branding replaced with Microsoft Lumia

Microsoft is officially replacing its Nokia branding with
Microsoft Lumia on the company’s Windows Phones.
The software giant is "looking forward to unveiling a
Microsoft Lumia device soon," and, as The Verge
revealed earlier this week, Nokia’s existing phone
websites and social network accounts will now be
transitioned over to the Microsoft Lumia branding in the
coming days. Microsoft has also revealed that it will use
the company’s name on the front and rear of future
Lumia devices in a simple replacement of the Nokia
branding.
NOKIA BRANDING WILL CONTINUE ON BASIC PHONES
While Lumia phones will drop the Nokia brand entirely,
Microsoft still has a 10-year license to use the Nokia
brand on basic phones. "Microsoft will continue to sell
Nokia-branded, entry-level category of phones, such as
the Nokia 130," explains Tuula Rytilä, Senior Vice
President of Marketing for Phones at Microsoft. "We have
licensed the Nokia brand for such devices." It’s not clear
how many of these types of devices Microsoft will
continue to focus on. Microsoft is killing off the majority
of Nokia’s feature phones in favor of Windows Phone,
with only the very basic mobile phones still likely to be
produced in future.
Microsoft only had a temporary period of 18 months to
use the Nokia brand on smartphones, providing the
company enough time to switch to Microsoft Lumia.
Microsoft revealed yesterday that the company sold 9.3
million Lumia Windows Phones in the most recent
quarter, a small increase from the 8.8 million sold in the
same period last year. While Windows Phone faces many
challenges in the market against iOS and Android
handsets, Microsoft may face a new challenge with its
branding. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed
yesterday that the modest growth in Lumia sales was
"driven by sales in Europe where we gained share with
lower price devices." Nokia has always been a strong
brand in Europe, and it’s now down to Microsoft to
prove it can continue to push Lumia sales forward
without Nokia.

Via : The Verge