Microsoft Replaces Nokia Store With Opera Store For Nokia Devices

Microsoft is breaking Nokia's name in bits and pieces. Turns out, Microsoft, which now owns the Finnish firm has signed a deal with Opera Software, which will lead to the latter giving access to the apps for all the Nokia handsets apart from the Lumia range.

Thus, the deal will now let all the Nokia feature phones, Symbian-based handset and Nokia X smartphone users migrate to the Opera Mobile Store from the Nokia Store. Nokia users with handsets running Series 40, Series 60 and Asha operating systems will also be a part of the deal, if in case you were wondering.

However, the migration won't be an immediate act but it will take place in Q1 of 2015. Thus, the aforementioned Nokia users would be redirected to Opera Mobile Store in order to buy apps, when they go to the Nokia store. The migration process should be completed in the first half of next year, after which the Nokia Store will be closed.

Also, the same login wouldn't work then. As it appears, users would need to create an account with Opera to shop for apps. Furthermore, it has been mentioned that once the transition is complete, Opera will become the third largest app store in terms of downloads, behind Google Play and the App Store.

Rich Bernardo, Vice President, Phones, Microsoft via a company statement said, "We continue to sell and support classic Nokia devices, which remain popular in many parts of the world." He further added, "We're delighted to partner with Opera Software and continue to provide a reliable app store experience for consumers and developers alike."

Stay tuned to GizBot fore more updates!