Nokia will shut down its UK online store

FINNISH PHONE MAKER Nokia has confirmed that it is planning to close its online store in the UK.

Nokia seems to be waving a white flag, at least partly, by closing its online store in the UK. In a statement Nokia told The INQUIRER, "We are planning to close the current UK online store to simplify our channel structure and focus our resources on our key trade customers."

The phone firm has already closed its online stores in France, Spain and Netherlands at the end of May. We have tried to coax some more information about the closure out of it, like when it will occur but have heard nothing back from Nokia.

It obviously wasn't worth the effort for Nokia to keep the store going. It is after all essentially a middle man that no one really needs or cares about. The majority of us go straight to operators for a contract and a free mobile phone or to other online retailers for cheaper SIM free prices.

Nokia will no doubt continue to march on, leaving the baggage that is Symbian behind and try to regain some kind of respect with its Windows Phone 7 handsets, which are due out later this year.

The good news for Nokia was the recent agreement with Apple over a patent license but on the flip side Samsung is set to knock Nokia off the top spot for smartphone leadership in terms of unit shipments.

Though all of the turmoil Nokia's CEO Stephen Elop remains positive and dismissed rumours of a buyout by Samsung. µ