Nokia will continue to support smartphones that run the Finnish company's Symbian platform until 2016, according to CNET news.

"We're in a period where the investment in Symbian absolutely continues. Even as we go through a transition towards our primary smartphone platform, Windows Phone, you will see that continued investment. And I know there have been questions about so how long does that continue and we've now been very clear about that. So there's a long history still to be paved for Symbian in the future," said Nokia CEO Stephen Elop.

Elop confirmed that Nokia will maintain its customer service and apps as part of Nokia's ongoing support for Symbian customers.

The close relationship with Microsoft, forged last February, goes two ways.