Microsoft, Nokia to give 25,000 Windows Phones to committed developers

Microsoft and Nokia are combining their developer muscle to target developers for Windows Phone.

At the second day of the Nokia World conference in London, representatives from the two companies said they will be providing 25,000 free Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phones to developers who are committed to writing apps for the platform. The give-away begins October 27, officials said -- starting with a truck full of phones right outside the Excel Convention Center, the venue for this week's Nokia World 2011 show.

The message from the pair during a developer track at the show was that "1+1=3" -- the combination of Microsoft and Nokia can achieve more than either could individually. Nokia's retail and merchandising savvy; its localization know-how in Europe, Asia and Africa; and its strong relationships with operators (especially in the area of mobile billing) will benefit Microsoft and the entire Windows Phone ecosystem, the two contended. Microsoft's established developer tools; its cloud infrastructure; and its operating system expertise will aid Nokia and its developers as the Finnish company attempts to set itself on a new course, Nokia and Microsoft officials said.

Microsoft and Nokia also said they plan to host 1,000 joint events -- code camps, hackathons, and other kinds of hands-on confabs -- over the next year as part of their "Smarter Way to App" campaign. They are aiming to reach out to 100,000 developers between now and June.