Nokia, Windows Phone brands to be replaced by Microsoft, Windows this holiday season

Finally, Microsoft has decided to drop the Nokia brand from its marketing material. Interestingly, it also plans to pull the plug on the Windows Phone brand name. Now, this doesn’t mean the mobile OS is dead, the company is simply rebranding it to ‘Windows’. GeekOnGadgets got its hands on an internal document that provides details on these changes. A report by TheVerge further confirms the material is “accurate and authentic.”   While it is known that Microsoft is almost taking  a ‘U turn’ trying to salvage its desktop business, the company now also plans to rechristen ‘Windows Phone’ to ‘Windows’. The document reveals that in its holiday-season marketing material, the company will be dropping manufacturer name - Nokia - and also replace the Windows Phone logo.   Although we knew Microsoft would drop the Nokia brand sooner or later, its decision to drop Windows Phone all together comes as a surprise. The Verge points out, “It’s not exactly surprising given some of the company’s recent moves though. Microsoft’s latest commercials for the Lumia 930 don’t even mention Windows Phone at all. In fact, Microsoft refers to Windows Phone simply as Windows. HTC’s new One M8 for Windows also drops the Windows Phone name in favour of just Windows.”   This change in strategy further hints at Microsoft’s plan to combine Windows RT and Windows Phone version along with universal apps across phones, PC and XBox, in the next generation Windows release, expected to come on September 30.   Earlier some **leaked documents**  had revealed Microsoft will be allowed to continue using the ‘Nokia’ brand for Lumia devices for 18 months at the time the deal was sealed in April up to November 25, 2015. It had further revealed Microsoft’s plans to use the original brand names until December 31, 2015 for the X devices and some other mobile phones until April 25 2024. However, the report also clarifies that Microsoft can start using its own brandname on new devices even before trademark licenses for the Nokia brand expires.