Premium digital content will find its way to owners of Nokia mobile devices via the Microsoft PlayReady technology. The two companies emphasized the fact that the new agreement involving PlayReady is designed to expand the current collaboration revolving around mobile entertainment. The fresh direction of the Nokia and Microsoft cooperation will benefit users of Nokia S60 and Series 40 mobile device platforms, according to the Redmond company. PlayReady breaks the limitations associated with serving different types of digital content to mobile phone users. But the Microsoft technology is not addressed exclusively at content owners and service providers, customers will also be able to leverage PlayReady to access, view and transfer digital materials through their devices.

"People are increasingly using their mobile devices for enjoying digital content, such as music, games, videos and photos," said Ilkka Raiskinen, senior vice president of Multimedia Experiences at Nokia. "By adding support for Microsoft PlayReady technology, we are enabling service providers to offer a wide range of content and create truly compelling experiences across mobile devices, personal computers and online services. We plan to support PlayReady across a range of S60 and Series 40 devices starting in 2008."

"Through our collaboration with Nokia, we aim to deliver a compelling platform that offers consumers seamless access to virtually any type of digital content they want," said Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president of the Consumer Media Technology Group at Microsoft. "Nokia's breadth of offering in this space, coupled with core digital media technology from Microsoft in the form of PlayReady, will bring new mobile entertainment scenarios to life for millions of consumers around the world."

At this point in time, services based on PlayReady are expected to hot the market in the coming year, and the Microsoft and Nokia deal will not be the sole example. The technology comes to the table with native support for Microsoft content, but also for an extensive range of materials. Music, video, games, ringtones, images and even applications can be delivered through PlayReady in an extensive range of formats from Windows Media Audio and Windows Media Video to AAC.