Microsoft has officially confirmed that it is dropping the Nokia branding for future Lumia Windows Phone releases. Instead they will be called Microsoft Lumia phones.

It's perhaps the least surprising revelation of recent times, but marks a significant moment in the history of mobile phones. There will no longer be a competitive Nokia phone on the market.

Microsoft has been working on the transition for some time, it says, having already rebranded many of its own Windows Phone applications. Global and local websites are next on the agenda, with the first true Microsoft Lumia phone expected to be unveiled "soon".

"I wouldn’t comment on future product announcements, but what I can say is that that we are looking forward to unveiling a Microsoft Lumia device soon," said Tuula Rytilä, senior vice president of marketing for phones at Microsoft.

"This is of course a natural progression as all devices that once came from Nokia now come from Microsoft."

The Lumia 830 is the last smartphone to sport the Nokia brand.

READ: Nokia Lumia 830 review

The Nokia name in respect to mobile devices isn't gone forever though, Microsoft will still use the branding on its entry-level category of phones. The Nokia 130 and other budget handsets will be covered by the 10-year licence agreement it signed as part of the devices division acquisition. That will run until at least 2023.