Not too long ago, I wrote about how Windows Phone could be the perfect fit for the enterprise world. We’ve even seen companies like Sara Lee make the jump to Windows Phone, even if it was for the older Windows Phone 7 and not the massively improved Windows Phone 8.
Now it seems that Nokia is stepping up their efforts to win over enterprise customers. What’s going on to usher in this change? Nokia has signed a deal with Avanade to get Microsoft services and Lumia devices into the business world.
For those that don’t know, Avanade is a global business tech solution and managed services provider, and right now they are helping a very large UK bank replace all its current handsets with Windows Phone 8 devices.
Ian Jordan, executive VC of Sales, Marketing Avanade had this to say about the new partnership with Nokia:
“There is a significant gap in the market for a new class of business-focused mobile services and solutions. Avanade and Nokia are working together to fill this gap; integrating Nokia Lumia smartphones built on Windows Phone 8, with business applications such as Microsoft Office, CRM and access to company information to improve collaboration, productivity and sales.”
Just yesterday we wrote about how Samsung is also taking aim at the enterprise world, particularly with Windows 8 devices targeted at the BYOD level. Now it seems Nokia also understands that there is HUGE potential for Windows Phone in the business world.
Sure, the colorful tile-based user interface might seem more trendy than “business-savvy” but remember that it is also simple to use in its approach. Let’s also not forget that Windows Phone 8 has excellent Exchange integration, bitlocker, Office integration and a whole lot more.
So we know what Avanade thought of its new partnership, but what about Nokia. Here’s Nokia’s thoughts on the partnership and in growing the Lumia’s business efforts:
“The growth in the use of consumer devices at work has created opportunities for businesses, but also vulnerabilities that need to be addressed. Working together, Nokia and Avanade will create business solutions to meet the needs of the enterprise, as well as delivering the exciting user experience which people expect from today’s leading smartphones such as Nokia Lumia.”
In the early days of mobile efforts, before Blackberry really took off (and has since fizzled), Windows Mobile was often considered one of the best solutions for PDAs and even early smartphones geared towards businesses thanks to their first-rate business features.
While Windows Phone 7 seemed more ‘consumer-geared’ than Windows Mobile’s earlier efforts, Windows Phone 8 seems to blend the best of both worlds together quite nicely.
Having Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Phone all under the same roof could certainly help create a simplified and unified experience for businesses willing to embrace the changes that come with Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.
What do you think, is Nokia wise to go after the enterprise world or not?
Source: Neowin
