Nokia Phones Getting Microsoft Silverlight

Nokia is broadening its partnership with Microsoft, announcing it will support Redmond's Flash competitor Silverlight on its S60 and S40 phones.

The world’s largest handset maker, Nokia, is expanding its technology partnership with Microsoft, announcing the company will support Microsoft’s Silverlight on its S60 and S40 mobile devices and Internet tablets. Silverlight is an interactive online technology from Microsoft designed to compete with the ubiquitous Adobe Flash; the company shipped version 1.0 back in September, and recently offered a first look at Silverlight 2.0.

“Today’s consumers are very clear in what they want: easy access to tightly integrated services and data on any device,” said Nokia senior VP for device software Lee Williams, in a statement. “Nokia’s software strategy is based on cross-platform development environments, enabling the creation of rich applications across the Nokia device range. Nokia aims to support market leading and content rich internet application environments and to embrace and encourage open innovation.”

Microsoft has been aggressively ditching Flash-based content on its own site and replacing with with Silverlight as a way to spur adoption of the technology: it is also promoting Silverlight heavily to its advertising partners through subsidiaries and channels, and has racked up a couple high-profile showcases with Entertainment Tonight, the National Basketball Association, NBC Universal, and others. A partnership with Nokia significantly extends the potential reach of Silverlight into the mobile arena, and also into the world beyond Microsoft’s own ecosystem.

Silverlight should be available for to S60 developers later this year, with delivery to all S60 licensees coming shortly thereafter. Nokia hasn’t announced any dates yet for Silverlight support for Series 40 devices.