Verizon (VZ) Getting Together with Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK), Microsoft (MSFT)

Verizon Communications Inc.(NYSE:VZ) will be getting together with Microsoft Corporation(NASDAQ:MSFT) after more than a year. The last time the two companies were in a relationship was way back in May 2011, with HTC in the middle.

However this time the third entity in the troika is Nokia Corporation (ADR)(NYSE:NOK), which has announced its intention of sticking to Microsoft's Windows operating system.

Verizon has been heavily involved with Google devices and Apple's iPhones since then. However America’s No. 1 carrier wants to reduce its dependence on Apple and Google that have cornered the smartphone segment.

This time Verizon will be offering its network services on Nokia's new smartphones that will be running on Windows 8, the new mobile operating software from Microsoft.

Get Complete Analysis On The Smartphone Industry

Nokia recently sent out invites to media event on September 5, to be addressed jointly with Microsoft. The expectation is that Nokia will be releasing its new smartphone on that day, a full week ahead of Apple's new iPhone on September 12.

Verizon is not part of that media event but Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that the network carrier will launch the new Nokia phone separately.

The new smartphone is very critical for Nokia which has lost ground to both Apple and Samsung in that area. For Microsoft, which is still trying to make headway with its earlier version of its mobile operating system, Windows Mango, this will be a crucial test of its ability to stamp its dominance in the mobile segment as it has in the personal computing segment.

For all the three players concerned, the alliance will be in the nature of breaking new ground as they try to break the stranglehold of the Apple-Google combine.