Video: Elop to know about WP launch dates in next couple of months. Ackowledges burning platform memo, and talks Plan B.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has a chat with Engadget editor, Chriz Ziegler. A very interesting watch, and some new info appearing. Elop confirms the burning platform memo and noting that the choice of Windows Phone changed over time (they had another solution, it wasn’t always windows phone! It could have been just Symbian and MeeGo, or Android, or even BlackBerry as some sources suggested). Most importantly though Elop has been strict on release dates, he mentions that HE WILL KNOW about Windows Phone release dates in the next couple of months. That’s the CEO apparently NOT knowing. These are the CONCRETE dates that Elop was very strict about. But what about the public? i.e. when is the announcement?

Elop says, when the public will know is very close to when the device ships. Now, does Elop really not know the release dates? In about a couple of months time that’s when Elop will find when they could announce and release the device. The MS-Nokia team could inform Elop in April that it might take all the way to December to complete the handset.

Surely, the only way to avoid being vulnerable to the delays that plagued the previous Nokia team was specifying unrealistic, long, open-ended competition dates? So to avoid that, have concrete dates that are very soon after you inform the CEO. That means the Nok-MS team must have pretty much everything ready.

This alternative set up suggests that in a couple of months could be when the WP device is ready. Plus they’ve talked about it getting ready “soon”. there’s 10 months till end of 2011 and that’s not really “soon”.

Anyway, the engadget interview

• 3 point strategy, Smartphones (with windows), the next “billion” with mobile phones? and the future disruption
• Nokia will aggressive PUSH Windows Phone DOWN, affordable, lower price points (in addition to being the premium solution). I’m not sure what this means given the minimum specifications for Windows Phone (unless they’ll make some sort of lower end variant). Wide array of prices covered ALL with Windows Phone.
• What incentive is there for the potential 150m new Symbian users? Make symbian devices competitive, compelling, next gen processors, UI, all sorts of software work to make a path from Symbian to Windows Phone and ease transition
• With developers, already working how work in one environment can be leveraged into the other.
• Elop reckons they’ll attract a strong proportion of current Symbian Owners to WP as well as those they haven’t been able to before, e.g. North America. Nokia Brand most powerful mobile brand in many areas across the world.
• Upon Elops arrival, Nokia needed strategic assessment. There was option for MeeGo+Symbian but also options for other OS. Absolute support from board of directors, senior leaders to lead company through that assessment. What they thought the final answer would be changed over time.
• Elop acknowledges burning platform memo
• Coming from Microsoft, did it make picking WP easier? Elop says there was a balance. He knew about MS advantages but also had other people there to make sure he was making right decision, not just because he had more familiarity with WP.
• Elop reiterates MS placing big bet on Nokia and Nokia placing big bet on MS (Though what exactly does MS lose? Nokia Loses Symbian, MeeGo, Qt, Mass of Devs, Ovi Branding)
• Nokia pays royalty for each phone, but based on the value Nokia can add, MS recognises this and says this is worth billions to Nokia. Lol, more than what they lost in market value since Friday I hope?
• Competitors already using Navteq maps
• Competition within WP ecosystem is NOT what matters most but against outside ecosystems, e.g. Android and Apple. Nokia shouldn’t aim to just be the best WP manufacturer but best smartphone manufacturer.
• Elop talks Plan B...no not this Plan B. Elop’s Plan B IS To make Plan A successful. Plan A being Windows Phone.
• Any way to include MeeGo in future? (Consumers look for ecosystems. Search, advertising, naigation can certainly be taken by other effort such as MeeGo. Ecosystem can be used not only by windows phone)
• When will Stephen know about Windows Phone launch? When will the public know? Elop will know in the NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. Engineering teams have already been working together, they have first draft plans, some first designs – one was leaked. ha. Possibly forced to show the second image. As noted in the last post, “when the public will know is very close to when the device ships“. We believe we should be generating excitement when consumers can check it out pretty soon.

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Cheers Yiannis.

engadget

Category: Nokia, Video, Windows Phone