On a conference call with investors today, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop reaffirmed his company's commitment to Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system. Despite obvious struggles with its ongoing transition, Elop says Nokia's strategy to compete with Android is through Windows Phone and the Lumia product line. "We need to compete with Android aggressively," said Elop. "The low-end price point war is an important part of that." Answering a question about Windows Phones with lower price points than Nokia's Lumia 610, Elop said Nokia is "absolutely" planning to do this.

"We had plans already to go lower than the 610," he said, and with support from Microsoft's engineering teams Nokia has identified "ways to go even further than we anticipated." Elop believes Nokia has to remain focused on Windows Phone and to "broaden the price point range that we're pursuing with Lumia." We know Nokia was heavily involved in Microsoft's engineering efforts to push Windows Phones to emerging markets like China, but Elop didn't reveal specifics for the future of Microsoft's mobile operating system. The software giant is due to hold a Windows Phone Summit next week, where we're expecting to hear more about Windows Phone 8 and the rumored Bing Maps transition to Nokia Maps.