Andre Yoskowitz
21 May 2010 20:52
Last night, Yahoo sent out an invite for a press conference in which it promised an "exciting announcement" relating to "rich online and mobile experiences."
AllThingsD says that mysterious invite will lead to a joint announcement by Nokia and Yahoo that will place Yahoo email, search and other apps on Nokia smartphones.
The partnership is code-named "Project Nike," named after the Greek goddess of victory, and has apparently been in the works for at least three years.
For the most part, Yahoo's mobile initiatives have failed, says the source, but Nokia remains the top smartphone seller in the world by volume, giving the new deal a chance at success.
The deal is said to have been fast-tracked by Yahoo Americas EVP Hilary Schneider.
Adds someone close to the companies: "Recently, Nokia has offered devices that people don’t want and Yahoo has launched mobile services that they don’t want. Perhaps in working together, they will find a way to finally create some value."