Nokia backs Microsoft's 'Flash killer'

Silverlight is a cross-platform multimedia standard that can be used for interactive games and applications as well as viewing high-quality streamed and downloaded videos

Nokia has teamed up with Microsoft to put its Flash rival Silverlight onto its Series 60 mobile phones

Nokia has teamed up with Microsoft in a bid to make the software giant's new Silverlight technology the de facto video standard for mobile devices.

Silverlight is Microsoft's answer to Adobe's Flash - currently the dominant video format on the desktop Internet but which has yet to gain a stranglehold on the mobile web with its mobile derivative Flash Lite.

The agreement means that Series 60 phones - such as the Nokia N-series - will come bundled with Silverlight 'later' in 2008.

Nokia said that Silverlight would also be included with its Series 40 phones - like the Nokia 6300 - but declined to give a specific date.

Silverlight is a cross-platform multimedia standard that can be used for interactive games and applications as well as viewing high-quality streamed and downloaded videos. And with mobile phone being touted everywhere as the "next generation" interactive entertainment platform, the race is on between Adobe and Microsoft to provide the infrastructure for the future.

Meanwhile companies like Apple - whose iPhone famously won't run Flash at all - will no doubt be watching the battle with interest...