Barry Levine, newsfactor
'Widget Cooperation'
The companies said users' access to mobile social networks will be enhanced by offering T-Mobile's community-oriented MyFaves service, fronted by Nokia's user experience. The alliance will also enable what they describe as "widget cooperation" between the mini-programs offered by both companies.
Nokia will customize its devices to optimize them for a dedicated suite of services from T-Mobile, and T-Mobile customers can similarly get enhanced access to Nokia services.
Asked if the alliance between Nokia and T-Mobile in Europe could impact the U.S. market, Avi Greengart of industry research firm Current Analysis quipped that "what happens in Europe stays in Europe."
He noted that T-Mobile in Europe is essentially run as a separate company from its American counterpart. Deutsche Telekom, however, does see its mobile communications companies as having a worldwide service. In its announcement with Nokia, for instance, it emphasized that its companies use the GSM standard, making "T-Mobile the only mobile communications provider with a seamless transatlantic service."
Getting Aboard Ovi
Greengart sees the big winner from this alliance as Nokia, since this is "another major European carrier who has signed on to their Ovi services in one form or another." Greengart noted that Nokia has "managed to create a suite of services in Ovi and to get a number of European operators onboard," including Vodafone.
Eventually, said IDC's Chris Hazelton, you might see "a blending of the two companies' services," with a modular platform that emphasizes different aspects in different countries.
At the moment, he noted, there is "no Ovi in the U.S.," adding that Nokia's first priority in the U.S. is getting more phones into that market and, to do that under present conditions, it needs to support the services offered by the carriers.
Hazelton noted that, as the world's largest vendor of mobile devices with a large market share in both smartphones and regular phones, Nokia is currently emphasizing services in markets outside the U.S. To distinguish itself, he noted, services such as Ovi are a big part of the company's overall, long-term strategy.
This alliance is not the only example of the two companies working together. In March they announced the Nokia 6650 mobile device available exclusively for T-Mobile in Europe, beginning in July.
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