CANNES, France, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Finnish phone maker Nokia has teamed with Microsoft to produce mobile phones equipped with digital music-playing software, BBC News Online reported Monday.
Antti Vasara, vice president of mobile software sales and marketing at Nokia, said the next version of the company's Series 60 technology would allow users of the company's handsets to download both music and ring tones via Windows Media software and select from international and domestic music lists.
The new smartphones also will include built-in features to support music, digital rights management, cameras, mobile gaming and location and Web services.
Vasara also said Series 60 would allow mobile phone service companies and other handset makers to customize user interfaces on phones.
Nokia estimates the global smartphone market will be exceed 50 million units in 2005 and by 2008, smartphones should account for one-quarter of the total mobile device market.
The company announced its plan at the 3GSM World Congress mobile phone trade fair.
