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Nokia is to cease offering low end feature phones and Symbian-based smartphones in the North American market with the firm concentrating on new phones based on Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS.
Nokia US boss Chris Weber told AllThingsD that the troubled phonemaker would focus on offering handsets through carriers, a reversal of the firm’s previous strategy of selling off-contract phones to consumers.
"When we launch Windows Phones we will essentially be out of the Symbian business," Weber told AllThingsD. "It will be Windows Phone and the accessories around that," he added.
"The reality is if we are not successful with Windows Phone, it doesn’t matter what we do."
Weber also revealed that the first Windows Phone-based devices to be released would be designed by Nokia’s group in San Diego. Weber added that the firm plans the largest ever marketing spend as the firm seeks to reestablish a foothold in the US market.
