Microsoft and Nokia launched the first application from their alliance around mobile productivity, Microsoft Communicator Mobile for Nokia devices. The new unified communications client connects directly with a company's communications systems to streamline mobile collaboration, and owners of a number of Symbian based Nokia Eseries smartphones can download the English version today from Nokia's Ovi Store.
"Our alliance with Nokia aims to bring the Office productivity experience to the millions of people using Nokia smartphones around the world," says Kirt Debique, General Manager at Microsoft. "With the arrival of Communicator Mobile for Nokia today, we have a great start to fulfilling our joint vision."
Communicator Mobile enables workers to see their colleagues' availability, and click to communicate with them using the best method, from IM to email, text to phone call. The names and status of colleagues are embedded directly into the devices' contacts application, enabling people to update their own presence, start and join instant messaging sessions, and begin calls directly from the contact card.
"This application really provides a much more efficient way to work with others as you can see if someone is busy or available, and the best way to start a conversation with them," says Ukko Lappalainen, Vice President at Nokia. "It also meets all of the requirements for enterprise: cost effective to implement, secure, familiar and reliable."
The launch is the first product from the alliance – announced last August – which was the first time either company had embarked on an agreement of this scope and nature. Since then, the two companies have been collaborating on the design and development of new solutions, as well as embarking on joint marketing efforts around others they already share.
"As part of our push to constantly enhance our unified communications proposition, we are keen to extend the collaborative benefits of Microsoft Communicator Mobile to Nokia devices," says Scott Petty, Director at Vodafone Group Business Services.
"Communicator Mobile offers great potential for our large corporate customer base who have already deployed Communicator for desktop and now are looking to extend that existing infrastructure to mobile."
"We trial all potential offerings ourselves and have been very happy with the internal response and productivity increase we have experienced using Microsoft Communicator Mobile," says Roger Wüthrich-Hasenböhler, Executive Vice President at Swisscom / Webcall. "Having these two companies work together is really helping us serve the needs of our customers."
This new application, available initially for Nokia E72 and Nokia E52, adds to the work Nokia is already doing in optimizing direct access to email and other personal information with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. The companies plan to deliver Communicator Mobile for Nokia pre-installed on select Nokia smartphones in the future and plan to support additional devices, including the recently announced Nokia E5.