You can expect plenty of enthusiasm for the Windows Phone 8 platform if you visit an O2 UK shop in the next 12 months. Expect to see the mobile abilities of other Microsoft products such as Office 365, SharePoint, Skydrive and Xbox on the agenda as well.
That’s because parent company Telefónica has signed what it calls ‘an enhanced marketing effort’ with Microsoft in a bid to boost Windows Phone 8 smartphone sales. Its deal will run initially for a year in the UK, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and Chile.
The reason, according to Telefónica, is to encourage mobile operating platforms that offer an alternative to the ‘duopoly’ of Android and iOS.
Terry Myerson, corporate vice president of the Windows Phone Division at Microsoft, said “We are excited to work with Telefónica to market Windows Phone 8 devices to more customers in the UK, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and Chile, bringing them a more personal smartphone experience with the speed of Telefónica’s network.”
O2 was Apple’s exclusive UK network partner when the iPhone launched in 2007.