By John Ikani
Global telecommunications giant, Nokia, has announced that it is changing its logo to reflect its transition from being a mobile phone manufacturer to a provider of networks and industrial digitalization solutions.
The announcement was made at the ongoing Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
In an earlier interview with Bloomberg, Nokia’s President and CEO, Pekka Lundmark, explained that the company wants to launch a new brand that focuses on networks and industrial digitalization, which is distinct from its previous identity as a mobile phone manufacturer.
He added that Nokia is no longer just a mobile phone brand, and the company’s focus has shifted to a broader range of technologies.
Nokia, which was once the world’s largest seller of mobile phones, sold its phone manufacturing arm to Microsoft in 2014 and focused on network equipment business by acquiring France’s Alcatel-Lucent.
Although Nokia phones are still sold and have a market share in the industry, they are not directly manufactured by the company. Instead, they are produced by Finnish mobile phone manufacturer, HMD Global.
The new Nokia logo is a significant departure from the previous design, which had been in use since 1978.
According to the company’s press release, the change is necessary to reflect Nokia’s shift towards a broader range of technologies.
Lundmark explained that the previous logo was associated with smartphones in the minds of millions of phone users and industry watchers worldwide.
The new logo is a critical step towards changing the perception of the company.
Since its transition away from mobile phone manufacturing, Nokia has focused on selling equipment to other businesses, providing wireless and fixed network infrastructure, communications and networks service platforms, and professional services to operators and service providers.
The company’s primary focus now is to provide solutions for industrial digitalization and networks.
