Nokia will “build, catalyse or join a competitive ecosystem…reopen markets such as the US…” – to be outlined on Feb 11.

In the wake of Q4 2010 earnings, Reuters reports hints on Nokia picking up a competitors operating system aka “ecosystem”.  Nokia has been adamant on not joining the Android gang and pretty much any other outside OS. Though when Marko Ahtisaari, Nokia VP Design, was asked about WP7 he said it was different to Android (in terms of UI pattern), though too early to tell

“We’re interest in using platforms where we can add value and if that were the case – then. But it isn’t right now.”

Platforms where they could add value. They felt they couldn’t add to Android but could for WP7?

See also: http://mynokiablog.com/2010/12/20/nokia-and-microsoft-discussing-wp7-on-nokia

From Reuters: (Cheers Oli)

“Nokia must compete on ecosystem to ecosystem basis. In addition to great device experiences we must build, catalyse or join a competitive ecosystem. And the ecosystem approach we select must be comprehensive and cover a wide range of utilities and services that customers expect today and anticipate in the future.”

“Whatever the strategy is we outline on Feb. 11, we very clearly ensuring that it will give us the opportunity to reopen markets such as the U.S. and some others, where we have not recently been present.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE70Q1PF20110127

Andre’s take.

Nokia’s Elop in an interview published on Nokia Conversations went on to embellish the importance of a GOOD ecosystem citing the growth of the Ovi store to seeing 4+ million downloads a day as testament to their ability to produce something consumers want.

In addition, he included some sales figures for what he calls their “new Symbian devices” which according to him, Nokia sold 5 million of.  5 Million S^3 devices is not something to scoff at but pales in comparison to the 16 million iPhones sold in the similar period at a significantly higher pricetag. Obviously no other manufacturer can compete with Apple but the fact that Nokia grew LESS than every other manufacturer bar RIM (bodes terribly for them) is a terrible thing from what was such a vast and profitable company.

In my honest opinion two things have happened to Nokia, they’ve been slow to execute and have taken too long to produce  a product that people want, much less market it. Had the N8 been released on time in Q2 2010 these figures could have and would have been significantly better.  Secondly their devices are NOT desired by the general to the same extent that other successful devices are. Examples being the high-end Motorola’s and HTC’s. In the same breath they refuse to market them well. Refuses to embellish the relative merits and strengths of their devices in spite of their shortcomings. A saleman like Steve Jobs is a necessity at this point because there is little to no hype around their products sorry to say.

Anywho, on a more cheery note. I just received my trial N8 in the mail. Will be posting my initial thoughts sometime today.

Tags: Financials, Nokia, Q4 2010

Category: Convergence, Nokia, Symbian, Symbian^3