It's happened. Former Microsoft exec and current Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has married his future and his past in the holy matrimony of a "strategic alliance." Windows Phone is becoming Nokia's "principal smartphone strategy," but there's a lot more to this hookup -- scope out the official press release just after the break. Microsoft's Bing and adCenter will provide search and ad services across Nokia devices, while Nokia will look to innovate "on top of the platform" with things like its traditional strength in imaging. Ovi Maps will be a core part of Microsoft's mapping services and will be integrated with Bing, while Nokia's content store will be integrated into (read: assimilated by) Microsoft's Marketplace. Xbox Live and Office will also, as is to be expected, feature on these brave new Microkia handsets. An open letter on Nokia's Conversations site, penned jointly by Stephen Elop and Steve Ballmer, sets out the foregoing details along with the following statement of intent:

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Nokia was the last of the big mobile companies not to go android and i guess thats not changing. 

Windows phone 7 is going to struggle tho against ios and andriod phones with there already big markets. 

I doubt windows phone 7 will get anywhere, google and apple are monolising the phone market and no matter what ms throws at them they need phones companies to drop android for it to be an sucess. 

Brave and ultimately I think it will be proven to be a good decision. I think WM7 is still a big unknown this helps get the message out. I have used all three OS phone types and currently have a WM7 Samsung Omnia and a HTC Desire and for me the phone I like the most is the Omnia it is just so easy to use. I love the Android because of its no holds barred approach.

Excellent news that bring Microsoft back to the game!! To partner in such level with the biggest company in the mobile  market is great news and an excellent opportunity to show WP potential!!!! Great Job NOKIA and Microsoft!!!

Nokia's problems are widely publicised. Others have left them behind. The other manufacturers have placed themselves squarely on Androids side and although some do produce Windows phones it is obvious that their energy is geared towards android.

Nokia is in so much trouble due to their lack of highend phones (that some analyst say they are "dead" or "dying" ) and Windows Mobile is in trouble. Why not get together.

Having Windows in my PC is too much, I won't have it in my cell phone as well. I really like Nokia's phones but I think I might not be getting another one after this announcement.

That said, Symbian needs to go already. I don't think Windows is the right decision but at least they've recognized the problem.

Microsoft is taking the big guns out... good to see

have you used windows phone7?

Awesome, I'm sure this will bring both companies a great step forward! Now let's see some products!

Actually, Nokia shares just plummeted 9% :) This move basically means that

a) years of investment in the Symbian ecosystem were effectively wasted

b) years of investment in the Meego / QT / Linux ecosystem were effectively wasted

c) they have a difficult migration path for the next few years

d) when they eventually create their new ecosystem and products, they will be tied to MS hands and feet, and effectively they will be hardware producers with little control on the direction of the smartphone tier.

Conversely Motorola, HTC, Samsung have a high degree of customizabilty with Android, thus they can choose to steer at any time to offer value over their competitors in the form of interface, integration, apps, online services etc. Even more so HP with WebOS.

I hope Nokia can manage, but we're past the time when designing good hardware and well tailored basic interfaces for feature phones was enough. It's now all about the software ecosystem and being able to accomodate new ideas with great agility. Relinquishing all control on the smartphone OS? Doesn't look all that promising for this goal.