Mobile communications giant Nokia and anti-virus software specialist Trend Micro have formed a strategic alliance to develop more advanced Internet security appliances for enterprises.
Officials said on Tuesday the first product collaboration would be Nokia's Message Protector SC6600, a secure content management system to be released worldwide by March.
The pact with Tokyo-based Trend Micro marked the end of a two-year partnership between Nokia Internet Communications, the Finnish company's security appliance arm in Silicon Valley, and Network Associates' McAfee Anti-Virus unit.
Nokia Internet Communications Asia-Pacific marketing director Jeff Ratzlaff said: 'We saw Trend Micro's proven innovation and market leadership in anti-virus and content security solutions provided an important strategic component to Nokia's approach to Internet security in enterprises.'
He said Nokia's year-long negotiations with Trend Micro were in response to customer demand for more comprehensive features inside Internet security appliances. But he said support would continue for users of Nokia's Internet security boxes based on McAfee's anti-virus system.
Abby Tang, Network Associates' Asia-Pacific marketing manager for McAfee, said the end of the company's partnership with Nokia apparently was official this summer. She declined to elaborate.