Microsoft finally settles on "Microsoft Lumia" name

One chapter of Microsoft's, and Nokia's, mobile history is finally drawing to a close. After a bit of guessing and speculation on what Microsoft plans to do to unify its mobile branding, Nokia's, or rather Microsoft's, French Facebook page gave an unambiguous hint as to what the company has decided to call its smartphone brand, and it won't Microsoft Nokia Lumia Windows Phone phones or Nokia Lumia by Microsoft Mobile. It's going with a much simpler "Microsoft Lumia", which edges out not only "Nokia", but probably "Windows Phone" as well.

That Microsoft is dropping "Nokia" out of its names isn't exactly surprising and, honestly, couldn't come too soon for either company. On Microsoft's end, there is undoubtedly some confusion on how to properly address and name the company's newly acquired mobile business and phones, with devices carrying two giant brands on its back.

The shift is also important for Nokia, or what remains of the company in Finland. Yes, the company continues to exist and operate, but independent of a particular mobile platform. Its main focus, at least on the mobile side, is HERE Maps, which recently became available as Beta for Android devices. The sooner that Microsoft sheds off Nokia from its name, the sooner Nokia will be free to market its own brand and business.

But perhaps more interesting will be the question of what Microsoft plans to do with the "Windows Phone" name itself. There has been talk that Microsoft plans on also axing that name, preferring to go with a single "Windows" brand across all its platforms. That is, however, bound to create as much confusion as it plans to take away. With the company retaining the "Lumia" brand instead of emphasizing on "Windows Phone", at least for devices, there could be some truth to that speculation.

All that's really left now is to wait for the first "Microsoft Lumia" phones to come out, to see how the company will design the brand around the devices. It is definitely the longest name so far and it might be forced to just use "Lumia" or "Microsoft" to make labels fit on smartphones. Curiously absent from this news is mention of Nokia's/Microsoft's entry-level Asha series, whose fate still remains in limbo.

SOURCE: Microsoft