The Nokia N9 smartphone is displayed at a Nokia news conference in Espoo, June 21, 2011. [File photo: Agencies]
Nokia Corp plans to introduce phones using Microsoft Corp's Windows operating system, based on China Mobile Ltd's self-developed third generation (3G) mobile networks in the near future, said the company's executive vice-president on Friday.
Colin Giles, executive vice-president of Nokia Corp, who is in charge of the company's global sales, said Nokia has always been committed to China Mobile's Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) technology - the first globally recognized 3G telecommunications standard, led by China.
Giles made the remarks at a news briefing in Beijing on Friday, when China Mobile, the world's biggest telecom carrier by users, officially launched the commercial version of Mobile Market-Nokia store, a joint-brand mobile application outlet, for Chinese TD-SCDMA mobile-phone users.
However, Giles did not reveal further details of Nokia's TD-SCDMA Windows phones and the launch date was not disclosed.
Nokia is losing market share worldwide because of strong challenges from Apple Inc's iPhone series and smartphones running on Google Inc's Android operating system. The Finnish company sold 97.9 million mobile devices in the second quarter, gaining market share of 22.8 percent, according to a report from the researcher Gartner Inc.
Nokia is winding down its use of the Symbian operating system to focus on developing Windows phones with Microsoft at the US-based company's facility in San Diego, California. It plans to deliver the first batch of Windows Phone 7 smartphones in the second half of this year.
"We will continue to introduce a diversified portfolio of TD-SCDMA devices and services," Giles said, referring to the relationship with China Mobile as one between the world's leading operator and leading mobile phone manufacturer.
Li Huidi, assistant president of China Mobile Communications Corp, said the TD-SCDMA network in China has made great progress since the company obtained a 3G license in early 2009.
The number of TD-SCDMA handset models has increased after more mobile phone makers began cooperating with China Mobile. There are now 207 TD-SCDMA mobile phone models on the market, Li said.
In the first half of 2011, China Mobile sold around 12 million TD-SCDMA mobile phones, said Wu Weining, general manager of China Mobile's device department.
