Microsoft reveals it has ‘some say’ and influence over Nokia’s Lumia designs

HTC might have rekindled its old romance with Microsoft for its 8X and 8S Windows Phones, but Nokia is still the closest partner to Redmond. In an interview with Pocket-lint, Microsoft’s senior Windows Phone marketing manager, Casey McGee, has revealed exactly how close the pair are. Describing how Microsoft brings Windows Phone to life, McGee notes “it feels like our child too” in the process. “Especially with Nokia,” he adds, as both companies work so closely together.

“Our relationship is so close we get hardware early and we have some say in how these things are designed,” explains McGee. “I am very happy with the relationship and the ability to influence what they are doing.” Microsoft may have pumped most of its marketing dollars into HTC’s 8X recently, turning them into “signature devices,” but the company is preparing for a big push of Nokia’s next Windows Phone handset. McGee doesn’t reveal exactly how the software maker influences Nokia’s designs, but we’ve reached out to both Microsoft and Nokia to clarify how that particular part of the relationship works. We’ll update you accordingly.