US: Yahoo and Nokia announced an alliance. Under the deal, Nokia will be the exclusive provider of maps and navigation services to Yahoo customers around the world, under the brand, “powered by Ovi,” Nokia’s Internet service brand. Yahoo, meanwhile will become the exclusive provider of e-mail and chat services for Nokia customers, which will be branded as “Ovi Mail” or “Ovi Chat powered by Yahoo.”
In addition, Yahoo would benefit by accessing Nokia’s Navteq map services, which Nokia acquired in 2007 through USD8.1 billion deal. Bartz acknowledged that developing map services, which are crucial to attracting smartphone users, has not been a focus for Yahoo in recent years. “By using Nokia’s map and Navteq services, it will be a much richer experience for our users,” Bartz said. She said the alliance would help Yahoo build its audience in developing countries such as Indonesia, India and Thailand where the primary way many people access the Internet is through their phones.
The deal was announced in New York by Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz and Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo.The companies also said they would work to provide an integrated logon system for each other’s online services. Some selected services are expected to become available in the second half of this year, with global availability expected in 2011.
Source: Mercury News
