Microsoft is killing off the Nokia and Windows Phone brand names

This will probably not surprise many, but it looks like Microsoft is seriously planning on “sunsetting” the Nokia brand. The software giant has so far continued to use the Nokia name for phones, most recently with the Lumia 830 and Lumia 730 that were officially unveiled last week. However, a new rumor claims these two will be the last handsets to come with the Nokia brand on them. Interestingly, back in July a Lumia 830 render was leaked sporting “Nokia by Microsoft” branding on the back, but the actual smartphone is just called Nokia. Perhaps this was to be a transition strategy that Microsoft subsequently dropped for whatever reason. So expect the next phones to come out of Microsoft Mobile to be called either just Lumia something, or Microsoft Lumia.

Microsoft is planning to stop using the Nokia and Windows Phone brands this holiday season in its marketing materials. GeeksOnGadgets has obtained an internal Microsoft document that details the company’s guidelines for its own brands, and The Verge can confirm the material is authentic and accurate. “As part of our phased transition, we will drop the manufacturer name [Nokia] from product references during the Holiday campaign,” reads one of the slides. Microsoft is also planning not to use the Windows Phone logo in promotions and commercials, instead it will be replaced with just Windows. Although the death of the Nokia brand is understandable given that Microsoft only acquired the phone business from the Finnish company, a move to shy away from the Windows Phone brand marks a strategy shift. 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 favor of just Windows. Likewise, Microsoft’s latest Cortana ads don’t even mention Windows Phone apart from a small URL during the entire 30-second spots. Promotional videos for the latest Lumia 530, Lumia 730, and Lumia 830 handsets also fail to mention Windows Phone.