Nokia has green light to customize Windows Phone 7 as they please

Nokia Executive and Board Member Niklas Savander said in an interview that under the Microsoft-Nokia deal the Finns are free to customize the mobile OS as they see fit.

No other maker was allowed so far to meddle with the looks and feel of Windows Phone 7.

However under the terms of the new agreement with Nokia, Microsoft has obviously loosened the grip a bit.

According to Savander, Nokia wouldn't want those customizations to delay any OS updates (obviously referring to the troublesome Android customizations). So in effect, the Nokia customizations to WP7 will be one of the following:

• Surface changes that are quick and easy to accommodate in any new update by Microsoft
• Deep-running customizations that will be integrated into the OS by Microsoft and made available to both Nokia and any other competing manufacturer

Nokia has obviously negotiated hard in that exclusive deal. We hope something good comes out of it.

Source