Microsoft becomes an official Technology Partner of Eurovision 2015

It is no secret that Europe, in comparison to other regions of the world, has something of a love affair with Microsoft and its products, or at least former Nokia products, with the likes of Redmond’s Lumia line achieving a respectable marketshare across the region.

Perhaps in order to cement this love, Microsoft has become an official Technology Partner for Eurovision 2015. Using Azure, Yammer and a host of Lumia smartphones, Eurovision that this event will be one to remember, with Jon Ola, Executive Supervisor of the contest on behalf of the EBU, stating,

“With their [Microsoft’s] help we will be able to lift the official mobile app to even greater heights and also for the first time, bring it to Windows Phone”

Microsoft, understandably, was equally positive about the deal, with Georg Obermeier, General Manager of Microsoft Austria, saying,

“This unique and most compelling event gives us the opportunity to show how our innovations and technologies work and build the backend for mobile services, data exchange and communication across the world.”

For those among you who do not know, the Eurovision Song Contest is an annual pan-European singing event that has enjoyed over half a century of success and gained a significant reputation for cheesiness.  Watched by up to 600 million annually, this is a significant gain for Microsoft in further enhancing its important European reputation.

The Eurovision Song Contest, now for the first time ever featuring Australia as a contestant, will be broadcast on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of May 2015, and is set to be hosted in Austria, who won last year with controversial entrant Conchita Wurst.

As of this moment, the Eurovision Song Contest app for Windows Phone is not yet available, but users can expect it to arrive in the Windows Phone Store closer to the competition airing date.

Will you be tuning into Eurovision 2015? Let us know in the comments below.