Nokia will continue to focus on Windows Phone, according to a report from Reuters today, which cited comments from Nokia CEO Stephen Elop prior to the company’s annual general meeting. Elop had previously suggested Nokia would consider developing an Android phone.
Elop said that while the company continues to make adjustments as it goes, Nokia has made a “very clear” decision to focus on Windows Phone.
Windows Phone saw a slight uptick in market share recently, which is good for Nokia.
According to Kantar Worldpanel ComTech’s latest numbers, Windows Phone increased U.S. market share from 3.7 percent in the first quarter of 2012 to 5.6 percent in the first quarter of 2013. Meanwhile, Apple’s iOS dipped .9 percent from 44.6 percent to 43.7 percent.
Investors heard alarm bells when Nokia released a first quarter interim report back in April that showed mobile phone volumes had decreased 30 percent sequentially to 55.8 million units.
That worry, however, was offset at least partially by the fact that Lumia first quarter volumes increased 27 percent quarter-on-quarter to 5.6 million units.
Elop also said today that Nokia would unveil new additions to its Asha line of mid-range phones in the “days immediately ahead.” The Asha phones could be aimed at strengthening Nokia’s lower-end phone business, which are aimed at emerging markets and have typically been seen as the company’s bread and butter.
Shares of Nokia were up almost 5 percent to $3.55 in early trading Tuesday.
Filed Under: Devices
