Nokia will look to build its base on Windows Phone not by taking on the US market, but instead launching its first handsets in one of the regions where it remains a major force: Europe.

According to Nokia Europe VP Victor Saeijs, the Finnish firm will launch its debut Windows Phone handsets in late 2011 – rather than 2012 as speculated by many – with Europe's biggest mobile markets first up for the fruits of the firm's partnership with Microsoft.

In line for launch day units are the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

Looking for a launchpad

Saeijs made the revelation at Telecompaper's Mobile Netherlands 2011 conference, with Russian tech blogger (and now long time Nokia rumour-monger) Eldar Murtazin going on to speculate that Nokia will manufacture 125,000 units for sale in 2011.

Though, ultimately, expanding Nokia's shrinking share in the US will be a primary goal for the firm's run on Windows Phone, it makes sense for the company to tackle Europe first, even with such modest shipments.

As Nielsen detailed, Nokia's current smartphone OS of choice – Symbian – holds a 65 percent share of the market in Spain, well ahead of rivals iOS and Android.

The aim will be to translate that current dominance into solid Windows Phone sales at launch, giving Nokia a solid base to build on as it crosses the Atlantic with the OS, most likely in early 2012.

[source: mocoNews]