Nokia pinning all its hopes on Windows Phone 8 to boost growth

Nokia is pinning all its hopes on Windows Phone 8 as the company is expected to be among the first manufacturers to launch Windows Phone 8 devices in the fourth quarter.

While announcing the earnings statement on July 19, Nokia's CEO Stephen Elop said the third quarter would "remain difficult" as the phase-out of Symbian phones continues. He said the upcoming launch of a new version of the Windows operating system - Windows Phone 8 - would be an "important catalyst for Lumia."

According to media reports, Nokia is planning to revamp its marketing strategy ahead of the unveiling of its new Windows 8 smartphone, tipped to be launched this autumn.

The mobile phone maker has entered secret negotiations with European operators about forming an exclusive opportunity to launch a smartphone using the Windows 8 platform from Microsoft, the Financial Times reported.

Nokia's usual sales approach to get as many phones in as many hands as possible would be ditched in favor of partnerships that would create dedicated support for its smartphones, initially through one or two networks in Europe and the Finnish group has entered negotiations with European operators about forming exclusive partnerships to launch a smartphone using the Windows 8 platform from Microsoft Corp .

With agency inputs