The rumours were true: Windows Phone is to be Nokia’s “primary smartphone strategy” (TechRadar).

A full alliance would make perfect sense. Since cleverly dismissing the iPhone as a “niche product”, Nokia’s never come close to competing with it, because while it gets hardware, it doesn’t have a clue about the importance of software (despite actually making or buying decent software). Microsoft, on the other hand, spent years arsing about with its mobile strategy, before surprising everyone with the stupidly named but otherwise rather good Windows Phone 7 (for Windows Phone 7 phones—see what I mean about the name?).

An alliance gives Microsoft a boost, which it desperately needs at present, since it’s way behind in the race. It also gives Nokia a chance to avoid haemorrhaging further market share.

BUT! In a not-at-all shocking twist, neither company has the balls to do this properly. Micronok could become a direct challenger to Apple, with pinpoint focus: few unit types, utterly robust integration of software and hardware, fantastic user experience. Instead, it seems to be, again, hedging its bets, with a semi-open model that sits between Apple’s iOS and Google’s ‘fire it at every company possible’ Android. This is a strategic partnership, but you’ll still see Nokia mucking about with other platforms and Microsoft cosying up to other hardware partners.

Software Duncan Wilcox also notes on Twitter that the deal is somewhat one-sided:

No exclusivity on Windows Phone 7 means Microsoft is using Nokia as a trampoline for WP7 marketshare, sucking life out

I’ve no doubt this partnership will be successful, and Windows Phone 7 deserves to do well (despite its stupid name), but it’s a pity another platform isn’t taking Apple head-on.