Microsoft Apps coming to Nokia Symbian Belle devices

Many of us are looking forward to seeing Nokia Windows Phone 7 devices launching before the end of this year, but Nokia is not giving up on Symbian either. Last week, Nokia and Microsoft announced Microsoft Apps for Symbian devices. Microsoft Apps are Symbian software updates that include productivity tools provided by Microsoft for Symbian Belle devices.

During the fourth quarter of this year you’ll be able to start up the Software Update app from within your phone and find the following free apps:

• Microsoft Lync 2010 Mobile – for cost efficient IM, presence, audio and web meetings on-the-go.
• Microsoft PowerPoint Broadcast – quick broadcast of presentations directly from PC to mobile.
• Microsoft OneNote – rich note taking with images. Syncs with Microsoft SkyDrive.
• Microsoft Document Connection – single view to documents stored on mobile, including email attachments as well as documents on Microsoft SharePoint 2010 sites.

In early 2012, Microsoft Apps update will add Microsoft OneNote sync with SharePoint (in addition to SkyDrive). You will also see Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint as native applications for the first time outside the Windows platform.

Nokia has committed to supporting the Symbian platform until at least 2016 and with apps like this there are still plenty of reasons for people to continue using Symbian smartphones. I enjoy using my front facing QWERTY Nokia E6 and find it to be a functional messaging device.