Windows Phone 7 in Nokia Deal – what it means for your new phone

You have probably heard about the partnership between Nokia and Microsoft that has recently been announced. Whilst this provides Microsoft with a powerful ally in their quest to dominate the mobile market, what does it mean for the average consumer?

Early rumours suggest that the Nokia phones will come in cheaper than the current devices, which should make the smart phone market more competitive and affordable. With smartphones currently priced so highly on Pay as You Go as to be unaffordable to most, and the contract deals requiring a noteworthy monthly fee, a cheaper player would be popular choice – especially among the younger, teen market.

As the smart phone has evolved from a business tool through to an entertainment device, the type of person likely to consider purchasing such a device has changed. The business players are likely to continue to require the sophisticated Office integration and Outlook capabilities of the more expensive smart phones, however the social media, and entertainment aspect of smart phones appeals to a wider audience of teenagers through to their grandparents.

Microsoft are making an exception to their strict minimum phone specification to allow Nokia to make these lower spec devices. This means that the devices may not have as punchy a processor as their pricy counterpart, although they should be perfectly adequate for the average non-business user. So the teen who wants to check Facebook, and beat their friend’s high score in Angry Birds, along with their Gran who likes to keep updated with Alan Titchmarsh’s latest tweets could both benefit from an affordable, basic smart phone.

It seems that Microsoft and Nokia have identified a key market to target in their smart phone revolution, and if the rumoured devices do reach us by the end of the year they could well be the first to cash in. Rumours have already stared about an iPhone Nano however, so it looks like the race is on to become the first smart priced smart phone. 

So if you are looking for a bargain smart phone, keep your eyes peeled!